


Life Anew: Bond and Bound

by Keitmeg



Series: Life Anew [2]
Category: Hellsing
Genre: 69 (Sex Position), Accidental Voyeurism, Angst, Breathplay, Canon-Typical Violence, Car Sex, Crossover, Cuddling & Snuggling, Face-Sitting, Futa on Female, Futanari, Hermaphrodites, Hover Over text for Translation, Includes Art, Magic, Mild S&M, Neck Kissing, Office Blow Jobs, Other, Outdoor Sex, Pack Dynamics, Plot Twists, Possessive Behavior, Shameless Smut, Supportive Integra Hellsing, Valentine's Day Porn, Water Sex, Werewolf Bonds
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-11
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:20:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 24
Words: 144,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23596735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Keitmeg/pseuds/Keitmeg
Summary: [Name] is past the point of striving for the owner's attention; she is Sir Integra's mate now, and she has magic...
Relationships: Integra Hellsing/Original Character(s)
Series: Life Anew [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1124520
Comments: 58
Kudos: 189





	1. The Old Nemesis is the New Friend

Shuffling follows hours of complete silence, and since they’ve just recently gone through quite a remarkable ordeal, Kate’s vigilant consciousness brings her out of her dreams. She looks around, finding Sir Integra standing next to the edge of the bed and putting on official garments.

“What’s wrong?” She mumbles, still overcome by sleep and fatigue. But that doesn’t keep her from noticing how dark it is still outside. “It’s still so early, where are you going?”

“Mark’s funeral,” The master said. “He was one of my men, and he died protecting this town. I must attend.”

Kate nibbles on the inside of her cheek, finally propping up on her elbow. “I’ll come with you.”

The master’s motions come to a stop, zeroing in on Kate with judgmental eyes. The silence returns, and Kate grows restless.

“What?”

Shaking her head and finally looking away, Sir Integra wears the last of the garments –a heavy coat, and says, “You don’t have to. You must be still tired, why don’t you go back to sleep.”

“But Angus–” Kate starts, but quickly trails off, not knowing how to finish.

“Angus–” The master finishes for her “doesn’t owe you anything.” She rounds the bed from Kate’s side. “Rest now, I’ll come wake you in a few more hours from now,” Saying so, she leans down to place a languid kiss to Kate’s head.

Kate holds on until she sees Sir Integra off before tossing her head back on the pillow with a grunt. A frown deepens the lines on her forehead. She turns toward the window again, looking on every time she suspects a violent puff of wind is blowing.

Angus doesn’t owe her anything, it may be so, but Mark ended up like that because of her blood. No matter how many side roads she takes to steer away from this truth, they all wind up to the same destination –same conclusion. This false sanctuary under these bed sheets, wrapped in Sir Integra’s scent lasts no longer than a few peaceful moments, before she comes to terms with this inescapable certainty settling deep in her bones; she is done hiding from that spectrum of responsibilities.

Determined, Kate rushes out of the bed, dons one of her master’s sweaters since everything she owned was lost in the fight; she hasn’t heard any telling-offs about the credit card she lost and she really hopes it remains that way. She makes her way outside the room, walking the dark hallway and hearing every moan of the panels under her weight. She reaches the front door, pulls it open and stands in the gap, eying the burning pyre in the middle of the area, under a somewhat dark night but Kate knows the sun is rising soon.

Albin and Sir Integra are standing at the right side by side, the pack members behind them, and Angus and a couple of other –clearly injured– soldiers at the opposite, all of them facing the pyre.

Wolves and humans, that’s the first thing that crosses her mind as she takes in their pursed lips and unwavering eyes. She can’t help it; for her, it’s always been about what she is, and what she is capable of, and that has always alienated her from the rest. Kate’s always been conscious of the fact that her ability to manipulate magic places her somewhere between a human and nonhuman.

Now, however, as she examines those people, she starts to understand that it isn’t about what you are as much as it is about where you belong.

It suddenly dawns on Kate that there really is no vacant spot for her among them; this isn’t some I’m-a-victim spiel to promote self-pity either. While she tells herself that she uses magic for good, and that people are saved thanks to that abnormality, this situation here with Mark’s body burning on that stock of woods makes her feel like an outsider with an incurable ulcer called magic.

Her lips move, soundlessly, and then a breeze rustles the snow-layered branches of overgrown trees. The flames dance, garnering Sir Integra’s attention as she squints, and the others’ voiced worry. The flames shape up into the same crying maiden Kate saw sculptured into a fountain back in Hellsing’s property. She adds wings to her back, just because she can, and because she thinks it would look less threatening to those poor soldiers who still carry their losses. Kate knows she can’t physically be there, one way or another her presence will remind them of what happened, but she hopes this symbolizes some of what she’s feeling.

Before going back inside, she wills the fire-made maiden to chant, it sounds mystical and soothing –like a siren singing to the sailors and luring them into the foggy ocean, or a gorgon to her audience of statues. Yet sad, like a mother singing to her lost child or a soldier after a lost battle…

“Plans are afoot for a banquet,” Greta says; of all people, Kate did not expect Greta to take the initiative and talk to her. “The kids are excited.”

After the pyre, Kate came back to her room this morning and sank back in the bed, it was only a short while later that Sir Integra returned as well, and, ever so gently, lied behind Kate. They only woke up again when a firm knock on the door reminded them that there’s a whole world of responsibilities out there for both to attend to.

Sir Integra and Albin have been gone since then, and Kate’s been trying her best to entertain herself, until they’re back when Greta came up to her while Kate was looking out the window trying to figure out what the townspeople were attempting to make of the tent they were struggling with outside.

There’s a ripple of childish giggles followed by the twin boys running around one chasing the other; they have been at it for hours and, somehow, they never tired. Kate beholds them with a smile.

“Now it makes sense.” She looks back at Greta who’s just chuckled. “I was losing my mind wondering if chase was really that exciting.”

“They get worse around summer,” Greta said. “I think it’s the humidity.”

There’s worse than this? Kate is about to shoot them down to have some peace and quiet. Boys are psychopaths in toddlers’ bodies, she cannot think of them as these cute beings. Besides, being cute does not give you the pass, alright?

Greta watches her boys with this fond look in her eyes. “It’s been really tough on all of us,” She said. “Alex was my brother, and my boys really loved him.”

Alex was the first to be taken out by Mr. Forsberg; it actually saddens Kate to remember how he died alone unaware of the town’s chief’s betrayal. Actually, when she thinks about it, maybe he was better off not knowing.

“I’m sorry for your loss,” Kate said, faintly.

The look turns melancholic when Greta faces Kate. “You have to know, I was only trying to protect my family. Whatever I did and whatever I said, it was not in my power.”

Kate shakes her head. “Do you really believe I hold a grudge?” She marvels. “You’re a mother, nobody can fault you for trying to protect them. It’s true that, at some point, I was enraged by that because I was trying to protect you as well, but when you think about it, a mother’s instincts are stronger than anyone else’s. Especially if we’re talking about an Alpha.”

The female alpha smiles after a long pause. “I believe I should thank you, for bearing with us, and for helping us.”

Kate smiles back. “I need to thank you, too.”

“For what?” Greta demands.

Well, she’ll be fine if she doesn’t hear the answer to that now.

Kate simply shrugs and faces the window. “For everything, I guess.”

She can see the woman from the corner of her eyes, looking at her deeply. “Concerned?”

Kate’s heart flutters. She looks back at the female alpha with surprise.

Greta grins like she knows all of Kate’s secrets, but that’s impossible. Greta folds her arms under her breasts and sighs. “I also get worried when Al leaves, it’s not like I can help it. It’s the same for you, right?” After Kate nodded, Greta added “They must report what happened here to the elders. Sir Integra can’t go back to being human anymore and, whether she likes it or not, she is part of the werewolf community now. As an Alpha of her own pack, and as someone with magnificent influence and authority, she must always report back to the elders.”

“The elders, who are they?”

“I’m sure you’ve heard of them before –I’m sure everyone has, at one point in their life,” Greta said. “Or you can simply ask Sir Integra, that will give you something to talk about.”

“What,” Kate says in a small annoyed huff. “You think I bore her?”

“I think she bores you.” Greta corrects. “I mean no disrespect to either of you, but I’ve seen how very little Sir Integra interacts and talks, I can only imagine how hard it must be for you.”

“You’re completely wrong,” Kate defends.

“Am I?” Greta hums. “That’s surprising.”

Come to think of it…

“Actually, it’s more like I don’t like them talkative.” Kate admits. “So, to me, she’s perfect.”

Greta grins again, cheeks lightening up. “Well, you won’t have to wait long. They’re not in Älvdalen, but they will be back at night.”

Whatever Greta is insinuating, and whether or not she’s insinuating anything at all, it doesn’t really bother Kate because in either case, the truth is she can only think of how much she wants to see Sir Integra right now.

“Here, this ought to sheer you up.”

Kate is handed a bag. “What’s this?”

“Remember the banquet I spoke about earlier?” Greta reminds. “Well, everyone is going to be dressed up for the occasion, and I’d like you to consider this gift. I sewed it myself.”

With entertained eyes, Kate tries to open the bag and look at what’s in it, but Greta stops her.

“Wear it tonight,” She said.

When Albin and the master returned, most of the female betas in both packs had been occupying Alicia’s room to prepare for the feast; she was the one owning the most of makeup palettes and all that jazz. Kate was dragged along with them, making it difficult for her to get a chance to welcome Sir Integra back. Now, however, after getting dressed in the black waisted medieval dress Greta said she had sewed herself which Kate had to reshape using seiðr so it’d fit her body, and even allowing Zuri to style her hair into the Halo Braid and put some light makeup on her, Kate finally leaves the room with the other girls who look so stunning with their Elfish dresses and makeup.

She lingers at the very back, not sure whether this is a good idea or not; she’s never shown this much of her shoulders and cleavage, and she’s never put makeup on for Sir Integra, so it’s safe to say that this is far scarier than fighting that gigantic wolf.

The female betas fan out in the living room like a bunch of birdbrain aristocrats from one of Oscar Wilde's novels, showing off their attires to their male pack mates and to the Alphas, and Kate doesn’t fail to see the guys’ mesmerizing stares as they take in the transformation of all the girls; they went from tomboyish get-ups with the addition of fangs and claws to looking simply beautiful by bringing out their femininity and boasting about it in the form of sweet perfume, narrow high heels and curled locks.

“…. to the point where they feel major, which they aren’t, by the way” Sir Integra, sitting on the sofa next to the fireplace, is conversing with Walter who’s handing her a glass of wine perhaps to calm her, unaware of what’s going on in the living room just behind her. “They think they’re a part of some collective hive mind, lecturing me on the way it goes, absolute rubbish!”

Kate wanted to reveal herself to her master, even sooner than this, but, fearing that this isn’t a good time, she remains at the rear, only watching everything unfold in a sort of a chaotic way, exactly like the mayhem that proceeds a family outing.

“Was it your size?” Greta approaches her; she’s also dressed like a medieval queen with the puffy sleeves and the flamboyant hairstyle.

Kate prompts up; she takes a look at her own dress and says, “Had to tweak it a little bit, but it’s perfect.” She looks up. “Thank you.”

“Have you shown it to Sir Integra yet, I’m sure she’ll love it.” There’s a gleam in Greta’s eyes, like hopefulness, and Kate already hates herself for having to disappoint her.

“You know what,” she starts, “maybe it isn’t such a good idea. She seems busy, so I should just head out to the tent first.”

“Are you sure?” Greta frowns at her.

With a hand scratching at her forehead, Kate purses her lips to force a smile and nods, before making for the hallway with her high heels clicking the wood flooring. She’s not in the mood to deal with Sir Integra’s fury right now; she’s dressed up immaculately and she loves the braids and the lipstick, there’s no way she’s letting Sir Integra’s temper ruin her night.

The twins come running her way, and then continue on to the other side of the living room, carrying their bubbly giggles with them across the room. Kate envies their untroubled life. She wonders if she can just go on about her day not worrying how the others would interpret her actions; if she dances the night away, would that be unusual?

“Kate.”

Said girl’s heart leaps to her throat. She reels around, the long sleeves turning with her. She finds the master, dressed in a similar suit to the one from this morning but less Goth-looking, shiny dress shoes that would squeak with any movement but this pair’s bottoms seem like they’ve been layered with rubber.

Kate gazes at her. The master gazes back, placid. Kate tries not to acknowledge the flush curving up her cheeks, but the way Sir Integra watches her lips, the bare space of her sternum and shoulders and the way the dress is cascading over her body and showing its curves makes the girl all aware.

“What is it?”

Sir Integra clears her throat, action curt. “Well I received some news, and I’m afraid I must return to London tonight.”

That changes things.

Kate’s eyes snap up. “You can't mean that.”

Sir Integra shakes her head, but her statement remains the same. “Ian and Zuri will be staying, but the rest of us will leave by dawn.”

“Don’t go” Kate has always had a good reign on her –well, not emotions, but how to convey them. However, they must be spiraling out of control if her mouth is speaking without consenting with her brain.

The other lowers her stare.

Kate latches on, a hand clinging to Sir Integra’s arm. “Can’t it wait? I mean you just returned to Älvdalen. This –you don’t have to leave so soon.”

Zuri and Ian, who must have been listening in to the conversation, come up to their Alpha, frowning faces beseeching her to change her mind.

“You can’t go,” Ian said. “You said we’d be spending the New Year here.”

Zuri nods, agreeing with him. “We’ve made all sorts of preparations, too.” She persists, “I know you have other business which you have all the right to either refuse going to or attend, but you said we’d be spending the New Year eve together. I don’t think you understand just how much that means to me.”

Seras, looking so pretty in the blue dress with the golden laces and everything, which is actually not very usual for she’s always loitering the manor’s hallways in those skimpy skirts and tight jackets, she approaches them with droopy shoulders.

“Guys, give it a rest,” She said.

While the three pack members argue back and forth, Kate’s grip on Sir Integra’s arm clutches tighter. The master faces her again, a scowl deepening the dent of the crease across her forehead.

“I’ll come with you.” She announces, and the conflict in the background immediately quiets down. She flings a fervent glance at the audience, a part of her dreading the sight of so many eyes watching, but her hand on her master’s quells it a bit. “If you can’t stay, then there’s no reason for me to stay here anymore. But if there’s a tiny –the tiniest chance that you can postpone this business of yours until tomorrow, then, please, stay.”

It can’t be that everything feels like it’s arraying against her; her wish for Sir Integra to stay almost seems inconsequential in the biggest scheme of things. Kate doesn’t even know what kind of business is so urgent that Sir Integra has decided to drop everything and leave tonight. She simply hopes it isn’t a matter of life or death; everything else can be arranged.

Seras lets out a noisy sigh, but she doesn’t complain. And Sir Integra looks from Kate to her other pack betas, and then back at Kate. There’s a moment of dogged silence, where nobody says anything; no objections, no clarifications and nothing, when, so unexpectedly, Sir Integra bows a little, leaning into Kate who’s standing so still like she's being electrocuted, and then she presses her lips on Kate’s. The girl’s seen it happen as if in slow motion; Sir Integra’s nose touching hers and then lips kissing hers. The soft moan of surprise she lets out gets lost in the master’s mouth. Unfortunately, the kiss doesn’t last long. The master pulls away, but Kate, desperate for more, chases after those lips. She stops when she realizes it isn’t only the master and herself in this place.

“Well then,” Sir Integra’s lips are lopsided, but her eyes look genuine. “Lead the way.”

The front door opens up to a vast area inside the tent the townspeople spent the entire afternoon trying to set up, and Kate admits they've done a marvelous job. There are light strings, which Kate assumes are glowing thanks to a car battery somewhere, hooked to one corner and to another, providing an excellent illumination to the interior. There are several tables shaped as the letter u, with a medium fire in the middle. There is plentiful food on those tables, from roasted chicken to raw meat, to grilled fish; different shaped candles and winter fruits decorating the set with their fresh colors. And wine, tens of goblets of wine.

There are already people there, either seated or standing, men dressed in vests and leather pants, showing off their shaved sides and ponytails, having several sets of jewelry adorning their outfits. The women are donning different-looking dresses, some even dressed as men with the fur and the heavy coats.

The place is lively with their chatter; the wine having a lot to do with it.

“Come on.” Albin saunters to lead them into the tent. “You’re not going to spend the rest of the night just standing there, are you?”

Kate gives him a face, which he chuckles at, and she looks at Sir Integra who simply says “after you.” Kate goes after Albin, and so does Sir Integra, while the rest of the pack part ways, some taking the left and the others the right side. Kate is led to one of the two tables that don’t make the arms of the letter u, leaves the chair next to Albin for Greta to set on with her kids –if they decided to sit but Kate highly doubts it– and sits on the one at the right. Sir Intega sits next to Albin, because the Alphas always get the best deal out of everything, and motions to Walter to come close, which he does.

“Just take it easy tonight, Walter.” She gestures at the rest of the people.

“Thank you, ma’am,” He said on a slight bow, before treading away from their table.

Albin lifts up, a cup that looks like a chalice in a hand, the other holding a spoon, and he taps the two metals together. The chatter morphs into a murmur, and the murmur soon dies out as everyone directs their eyes to the alpha.

“For all the people we’ve lost, I say” he starts, cup raised, “Snart skal jeg drikke øl fra buede horn. Denne helten som kommer inn i Valhalla beklager ikke hans død!” –Kate narrows her eyes; seriously, is this guy really quoting the Sagas of Ragnar Lothbork? –they’re not even Norsemen. “Jeg skal ikke gå inn i Odins haller med frykt. Der skal jeg vente på at sønnene mine skal bli med meg. Og når de gjør det, skal jeg sole meg i deres historier om triumf. Aesir vil ønske meg velkommen! Min død kommer uten unnskyldning! Og jeg ønsker Valkyrene velkommen til å innkalle meg hjem!”

His people nodding along to it and looking all touched and overwhelmed is more than a good reason to laugh. Kate could never take a guy quoting something like that in his speech seriously, but, somehow, the others are, and she doesn’t want to draw any attention to her now by laughing. God knows what they already think of her, with her magic and her fight yesterday!

He goes on and on in whatever language that is because she can’t keep up anymore, and Kate’s trying her best to look engrossed when she suddenly feels Sir Integra’s hand resting on her thigh. At first, she thought the master was insinuating something, but a fleeting look at Sir Integra's profile changes that theory.

Sir Integra, subtly, leans to Kate’s ear and says, “he’s talking about our war with the same enemy.”

Kate lets that sink in for a second before she whispers back in her master’s ear. “You understand what he’s saying?” –The master nods, eyes remain on the people– “you do realize he’s just quoted Lothbor’s speech, don’t you?”

The master puckers her lips and then cocks her head in a ‘could have been worse’ kind of way. “His people don’t seem to mind, why would we?”

Again, closer to Sir Integra’s ear that her hot breath just strokes the earlobe. “I wasn’t suggesting anything,” She said, and adds, more flirtingly, “Also, I’m really glad you stayed.” Without any honorifics, because Kate wants her true feelings expressed without the restriction of going against the norms.

The master doesn’t reply, not in words. She moves the hand she has draped on Kate’s thigh, just rubbing up and down, the movements so comforting that Kate can’t help but sink in her seat a little.

Albin finally finishes his toast, and the people cheer on and whistle and clap like anything of what he said actually made sense. Then, two men, sitting at the far corner one older than the other, start playing their old-looking instruments, filling the room with vivacious melodies. The people return to their food and ale, and to their conversations.

“Sorry for the long wait,” Albin tells Sir Integra and Kate, now motioning to the food splayed in front of them. “Please, go ahead.”

Kate cuts a portion of the chicken and places it on the empty plate before her. A quick look at Sir Integra’s plate shows that she’s not eating. The girl starts to fear that maybe having Sir Integra go against her plan to leave might be affecting said master badly; what if she simply needed to go?

“Sir, are you alright?” Kate asks.

Sir Integra nods, faintly. She picks her goblet of wine and says, “I am.”

Well, that sounded convincing.

“Look,” Kate drops her knife and fork, causing the cutlery to clink. “If it’s an emergency, I can take you back. We can be in London anytime you want. It won’t even take longer than three seconds.”

The master’s frown grows deeper. “You wanted me to stay, and I’m here. It would be quite of no use to any of us if I changed my mind now, would it?”

Loathe as she is to admit it, but the master has a point.

Her hand on Kate’s thigh hasn’t stopped its ministrations; Kate wonders if she’s crossing the line being too formal. These things require time, and, seeing that not long ago Sir Integra was looking for any excuse to hate on Kate, Kate should go ahead and acknowledge the fact that the master is making so much progress being near Kate despite their past.

Kate places a hand on the one on her thigh. “No, it wouldn’t. Especially not to me.”

The other faces her with amused eyes. “Good.”

The music catches the attention of a few effervescent youngsters. They rise from their table, wild smiles on lips and goblets of wine in hands, and they start dancing. Others who liked their choreography also joined them. They make a circle around the fire, jumping four times before spinning only once, and then crossing their arms with each other again, and repeating the dance. Laughter is soaring over the sound of the panpipes, and the heels hitting the floor reverberate across all ground until Kate feels herself moving in her chair in tandem with their rhythm. 

Sarah is having a blast. Kate doesn’t remember seeing her laugh, so it’s an interesting sight, to say the least. The redhead is dressed in a gown that brings out the color of her eyes, and she’s let her hair down, chestnut curls jumping up with her. Their eyes meet on the fly, and Kate fumbles with her glass of water to skip the embarrassment, but the lady comes rushing to her. She tells something to Sir Integra, who nods in return, making the girl smile wilder.

“Okay, what just happened?” –Sarah takes hold of Kate’s hand and pulls– “Oh, no! No freaking way. I’m not dancing –why did you agree to this?”

The master lifts her glass in a toast, lips smirking. “Go on, have some fun,” she said. “It’s a feast, Kate, not a funeral.”

She wasn't even consulted!

Sarah pulls her the rest of the way, and since she’s a werewolf, Kate can’t really pull free from her grip.

At first, she just stands awkwardly there, and gets bumped by the people dancing around her, but then someone twists their arm around hers and she’s moving with them.

“ _T'es perdu? _”

Kate faces the man and finds Angus; she didn’t recognize him in this warrior getup. “Angus!”

The dance becomes less physically demanding after that, and more fun to perform. Kate dances, and dances, holding the dress up so she wouldn’t trip on it and face-plant, jumping with a giggle and landing with a squeak. She shows her smile and her neck, loving the air that caresses her chest, and the freedom and the similarities between all of the people here whose sole goal isn’t to criticize Kate for anything, but to have fun.

When Angus pulls her to his table, Kate sits with a groan. She’s panting, they both are. 

_ "Oh mon dieu, c'était merveilleux!" _ She gushes, drinking the rest of what was left in the cup near her hand after making sure it wasn't anything but water.

Angus lets out a snicker. “ _ En fait, tu danse bien! _”

Kate rolls her eyes. “ _Oui, choquant, je sais _."

" _Mais, non, c’est vrai en plus! Le comportement et le mouvement, c'est bien ce que ta fait _." After a pause where both their eyes met; they haven’t talked since yesterday, and, honestly, Kate didn’t want to talk but he’s just saved her back there. He says, “Kate, I –there’s a lot I want to apologize for.”

“You don’t need to.” They can't keep stumbling back to the same conversation.

“I do, but it’s not going to mean anything. Actions speak louder than words, and I think mine already ruined whatever we had.”

Kate heaves a sigh and goes to stand up, but Angus grips her hand. “Angus,” she starts, “You don’t have to worry about this, not now, not ever again. I do agree, though, we did have something, but any chance that we might have had at salvaging it is gone now.”

A peek at their surroundings shows Kate how some are staring and others downright glaring; some pack members are clearly against them and they aren’t bashful about it. It’s beyond Kate, this, and the fact that werewolves communicate using a set of chemical signals; they recognized Sir Integra as a reliable Alpha, and Kate smells of her, so this is unaccounted for. She peeks behind at Sir Integra and finds her looking intently at them; that’s a good reason to be terrified.

“Angus,” she trembles. “You’re making this difficult for me.”

He stands up. “I told them what happened, back in that cell.”

Every muscle in Kate’s body goes slack, and she looks at him with a combination of hurt and shock.

“I told them what Mr. Forsberg did, and how he had you sedated the whole time, and incapacitated. I also told them about how you barely woke up to call out to Alucard before deciding to zap us back to town.” He nibbles on his bottom lip for a beat, giving Kate a breather because he has just saved her a second time by not telling them what really happened. “I hope you don’t mind.”

Lowering her gaze, Kate says, “No, I don’t.”

“Alright, cool!” Angus responds.

The two fall silent.

“I should go back.” Kate points her thumb on her shoulder. “Are you going to be okay?”

Angus nods, lips smiling; well, at least he’s not sad anymore. He moves in closer and wraps his arms around Kate. “Thank you,” he said into her ear. “For everything.”

Realizing that this is perhaps the last time she’s going to see him, Kate’s eyes burn with tears; it might not have lasted long, but she can’t deny how good conversing with Angus was and how comfortable it had made her. If her heart wasn’t so complicatedly intertwined with Sir Integra’s, she would have given this thing with Angus a chance to flourish.

“Okay!" Benny comes up to them, sounding like he’s taking through his teeth. “I think that’s enough of that,” Saying so, he juts his head in the direction of Sir Integra after Kate scowled at him. “I don’t know about you but I don’t want this to turn into a bloodbath.”

Kate, yet again, looks at her Alpha, noticing the way she's leaning her elbow on the table to massage her lip, rolling the goblet in her other hand. That can’t be good.

Angus steps back. “Enjoy the rest of the evening, Kate.”

“You too.”

She's only a meter away from her table when the twins, yet again, accompanied by another blonde sweet girl who looks younger than them, come to Kate; she hasn’t seen them since they stepped foot into the tent; it must be because of all the plates heaped high with meat working as a perfect distraction. They’re blabbering on very cutely, but Kate understands nothing.

“They’re asking you to make the wolves again.” Sir Integra interprets.

Kate blows a little sigh; even she is fed up with that trick. “What’s the Swedish word for water?”

“It’s vatten,” Sir Integra said.

Kate, smug-looking, looks back at her Alpha and teases, “and what’s the word for show-off?”

"Watch it." The master returns the playfulness by slightly biting her lip.

“Okay, bring me some _vatten_ ” –She gestures to the kids, the action of bringing someone something– “Otherwise the trick won’t work.”

Imagining it’s only reasonable to be on the kids’ eye level, Kate couches on one knee; beside, they did bring her water and Kate would feel terrible not to please them if it’s a simple trick like this one. What she finds surprising, though, is Albin making a rather odd request.

“If it’s no trouble,” he starts, “Can you show us another trick like this one? I remember seeing you fight that thing, you were remarkable.”

Kate doesn’t really do receiving compliments well, and while some may attribute it to self-confidence issues, Kate would like to think that she would rather not boost her ego; that’s an ugly thing. “Thank you,” she tells him. Although she doesn’t care, she did have an agreement with Sir Integra about when to use the magic, but she doesn’t suppose he knows that.

“Of course–” Albin continues, now facing the other Alpha’s profile; it’s like the wine is replacing the cigars, and she can’t endure the feeling of empty lips which Kate would be happy to fill. “That is, if you don’t mind.”

“I don’t.” Sir Integra’s eyes flash with a peculiar gleam, and Kate isn’t too apt to interpret it correctly; she needs a while to get to that level. “She might be still all-in from the fight, however. It is her call to make.”

As eyes land on hers, Kate flusters and shakes her head.

“Great, it’s decided then!” Albin gushes, now beaming at Kate.

Well, huh.

She’s the clown in Pendragon’s banquet now.

Unable to decline so she wouldn’t look bad, especially after she spent every chance she had _going_ against the orders (so now it wouldn’t be fitting if she started acting like she wanted to respect them) Kate straightens up, watching the kids scurrying back to Greta’s side, their smiles making any idea of rebellion in Kate simply vanish; that is the power of innocence.

Whatever, she should just go ahead and get this over with.

They aren’t Norsemen, but Kate knows they consider themselves as descendants of the Vikings; this feast, their clothes and the boisterous nature. A part of her fears that they might not like this little impromptu performance but it’s the best they can get with her seiðr. It is funny, though. She isn’t Norse either, but there’s this magic in her blood that belongs here; she assumes the sorcerer has something to do with it. Two sources of power, it’s not fathomable. Yet here she is, and here they are.

Her eyes slowly flutter close, taking a moment to wait out the clatter in the background; this may be a simple trick, but it requires attention and patience just as the rest of her spells.

When all seems to quiet down, Kate mutters soundlessly, lips moving, sometimes showing a little of her bunny teeth. She wills the fire in the middle to grow, flames growing and whooshing like the shadows of giant trees, painting the entire place in carroty hues. She hears a few crying out delightfully, and other clapping; that is nothing but a distraction; also, she hasn’t started yet.

The flames reshape, again, creating a form that slowly but surely defines itself into a wingless reptile that looks something between a dragon and an alligator. A little push, and the wings burst out of its back, sending embers everywhere but Kate isn’t so stupid as to set everyone up on fire. The full-fledged dragon flaps its gigantic wings, making its body float and soar up, slowly flying over everyone’s heads.

These guys are something else.

They don’t recoil from the magically made dragon, no, they try to reach out to touch it. The creature roars, now slowly pivoting itself to return to its place. Kate’s eyes flicker open, and finds the master’s on hers, watching and attentive. Like there is a secret she knows about Kate. The girl is reminded of what the Vedmak told her, which Kate chose to not reveal, she fears someone getting their hand on it, exploiting her with it. She fears Sir Integra finding out that a guy like that with his deranged party is looking forward to recruiting Kate.

What if Kate becomes a danger to everyone in Sir Integra’s pack, a danger to all the tenants in the Hellsing manor?

As the dragon approaches, Kate’s breaths grow more and more shallow, her chest rises and her hands tremble at her sides. What if all this power gets robbed from her, only to be given to the wrong person?

It’s a good thing everyone is oblivious to her state of mind now, but she sees her master slowly glowering at the changes in pulsation of Kate’s heart. Walter levers up as well, and that’s when Kate’s blood runs cold; back at the clearing, he was close enough to hear what had happened, close enough to stop it with his monomolecular wires, but he only showed up after the master took the bite. Just before Angus and herself were kidnapped, it had been Walter who delved into the functions of Kate’s blood, is it really surprising that the Vedmak and Mr. Forsberg used her blood soon after?

And more than all of that, Walter would always make sure Kate wasn’t kicked out; he’d go out of his way to throw in his say about this and that whenever it concerned Kate…

The girl’s breath is all labored and out of sync, shallow and faint. Her lips parted to try to get some air in, but she knows the advance of the dragon will just take it all away.

It collides with her, an enormous blaze in the shape of a dragon collides with her, but it disintegrates into millions of flares that, too, soon die out. Awed wows are gushed, and clapping follows a prolonged silence.

Kate catches her breath; she’s done for. If Walter is the one providing the Vedmak with intel, then Kate is done for. Before she knows it, Sir Integra is approaching her with a puckered brow and dark eyes.

“Are you alright?”

Knowing that she can’t tell any of that to her master because, according to the senior servants, Walter basically raised Integra Hellsing, Kate chuckles instead. She lets out a stuttering chuckle, head nodding.

“I’m great!” She breathes out, eying all of Sir Integra and maybe looking longer at her lips. “I’m great.”

The master looks back at Kate’s lips.

Kate’s silly grin falls bit by bit, and she finds that she wishes for no other company but Sir Integra’s, but she can’t exactly blurt that out with everyone around. It’s true they’re back to their talks after the firework show, but that won’t fool Kate.

“Al,” Sir Integra said without facing said alpha. “It seems I was right. Kate is looking a bit worn out, I’m afraid we’ll have to retire for the night.”

“Yes, of course.” He tells her, now peering at them as Sir Integra hooks her hand around Kate’s elbow and literally drags her out of the tent.

Kate has an inclination to not voice out her disagreement as she watches, silently, how the master manhandles her out of the tent and back into the house again. She discerns the way the master is taking, leading them back to the room they’re sharing together.

Once the door closes, Kate is shoved against it, lips crashing against hers. All words of stubborn protest die on her lips the moment Sir Integra’s tongue swirls around hers. She feels larger hands than hers groping her ass, and the action is rough enough to make Kate melt.

“Sir” she whines into the open-mouthed kiss; all tongue, all wet! Her arms wind around Sir Integra’s shoulders, clinging to it.

Not long, and Sir Integra is lifting Kate up, and the girl locks her ankles behind her master, afraid she’d fall. The kiss prolongs, but deepens. Kate rakes her fingers through her master’s hair, clutching at times and kneading at others. She is then laid on top of the wood dresser, whatever was on is now collapsing and falling to the floor. The kiss continues, and Kate feels for the lapels of the other’s coat, finally taking it off her master. She returns her hands to Sir Integra’s hair, adoring how said master has splayed her hands on Kate’s flank and is now rubbing it and, at the same time, trying to get the dress to go up so she’d remove it.

Kate pulls away from the kiss enough to help take the dress off; Greta was kind enough to give it to her in one piece, it’d be irresponsible of her to return it covered in things she wishes not name. Only in her underwear, Kate hugs her master, their lips kissing again.

There are intermittent booms of laughter joined by the low notes of a flute out there, and Kate barely hears them. “–off” she mutters into Sir Integra’s mouth, and then more firmly, “Take your clothes off.”

The Alpha stands there, chest heaving like Kate’s, just taking in all of the girl and her body. Then her hands start working on removing the jacket of her suit, and then unbuttoning the dress shirt. Kate helps by unzipping the pants, her eyes never straying far away from her master’s.

Kate’s quick to pull the pants along with the boxers down. While the master aids her by hauling them down the rest of the way, the girl lends her whole attention to the half-hard cock. She fists it in her small hand, earning an immediate hiss from Sir Integra. Kate isn’t as merciful as to stop halfway now; the master can handle it, just a little more. She feels those large hands going to her hair to undo the braid, the action never hasty.

The cock is gradually growing bigger under Kate’s thorough ministrations; she loves the noise she’s eliciting from Sir Integra when she nibbles one of her perked nipples. The Alpha has managed to untangle the hair and let it fall on Kate’s shoulders, and now she lifts Kate’s chin and makes her look up as she leans in and kisses her on the lips again. Kate’s hands never stop moving up and down the master’s shaft, feeling the wetness slowly adding as the head oozes out more precum.

Sir Integra pulls away altogether only to kneel enough that her face is at the level of Kate’s pussy. Kate watches how Sir Integra, slow as a sloth, nuzzles Kate’s crotch and makes her sigh expectantly. The action is repeated, and Kate can’t help but look upward to relive the sensation and absorb it. The sighs soon become hungry when her panties are pulled down and then a tongue touches her bare skin.

“Oh, Yes…” Kate looks down again, staring dumbly as her master twirls her tongue all over Kate’s clits, making the girl’s face contort. It goes on for a while more but Kate never comes, always on the cusp but she forces herself back from the edge every time.

“You taste so good, Kate.” Sir Integra muses, the vibration as well as the breath of her voice tickling Kate’s pussy and making her arch. A finger nudges her entrance, before it’s easily pushed in.

Kate’s been enjoying that one a lot, but, deciding she wants more, she bends over a little around the waist, only so that she’s closer to her master’s ear, before whispering.

“I want you inside me.”

Sir Integra’s brows furrow and her eyes close, like she’s reliving the words in her head. She scoffs like she’s laughing at her own monologue which Kate is hoping isn’t about how desperate she is. “You’re killing me,” she said in her velvet voice that’s always so pleasant to listen to.

Kate’s eyes are keen, following her master’s as they flick up, looking at Kate with a mixture of amusement and disbelief. “Please” Whether she comes from this or not it is of no use to Kate, not when she wants to feel her master inside her so bad. “Integra?”

Said master nods, her cheeks gaining a little shade of crimson. She straightens up again between Kate’s spread legs and strokes her own erection. “God, I can’t stand the idea of them hearing your voice.”

“Then kiss me,” Kate dares as a part of her leaps at the sight of the cock’s head trying to force its way in only to slip sideways, making her throw her head to the back and mewl deliciously. “Yes, God! Yes.”

Sir Integra mouths at Kate’s stretched neck and the marks there, grunting near the girl’s ear and wreaking havoc to her emotions. “I need you to face me, Kate. I can’t see you like this.”

The girl gulps; the master hasn’t moved, just letting the girl adjust to her size and heat and girth. Kate bats her eyelashes; they’re longer à cause de the mascara Alicia applied to them earlier. She looks into her master’s mismatched eyes, and, goodness, she falls deeper all over again.

“That’s much better.” Sir Integra smiles, a wholehearted and genuine smile. She moves again taking advantage of Kate’s distraction, thrusting her cock deep to the hilt and causing Kate full-bodied shudders.

Kate’s mouth seeks her master’s, and the moans get swallowed. She cries every time the crown of Sir Integra’s cock rubs all the right spots. She feels herself dripping wet down there, it’s trickling down her rim and pooling down on the dresser. The master suddenly rams against a sensitive spot and Kate screams, pulling from the kiss with a whimper.

Sir Integra’s thrusts recede. “Did I hurt you?”

“Don’t you dare stop now!” Kate hollers, sinking her hands into the master’s hair and looking deeply into her profound eyes. “Come on, babe, I know you can give more than this.”

As though feeling pride bloom in her chest hearing those words, Sir Integra’s lips curve up from one corner. She hooks her arms properly under Kate’s knees and lifts her. Kate’s hands hold on to the master’s shoulders.

It’s too late to worry about whether they can hear her or not; Kate’s in heaven. The lewd noises of wet skin slapping skin, and the echo of Kate’s broken whimpers and the master’s deep grunts… they heard them for sure.

“Oh, fuck, I’m coming…” Kate’s toes curl and her neck tilts up as she comes, clamping so hard on the master’s cock and deepening her groans even more.

The master moves, after giving Kate a little moment of reprieve. Kate, however, doesn’t need to complain about that as she corrects the position of her hands on the other’s broad shoulders and says, “Don’t come inside me.”

Yeah, it’s very unattractive, to make such demand right in the middle of something so spectacular like this.

“Why not?” The master demands.

Kate shakes her head to hide her embarrassment. She can’t tell Sir Integra that the itching gets bad afterwards, and although she uses magic to heal it, she’d like to snuggle when this is over without having to make unplanned trips to the bathroom, just for once.

“That’s not a good enough reason.” The master hums, ducking to Kate’s neck and kissing it. “You’ve never had a problem with it before, why now?” –then pulling away to look Kate in the eyes looking like she’s figured it out– “You don’t really believe that I can impregnate you, do you?”

Alright, this one sounds less embarrassing. Fine. Kate will continue to use magic to heal the discomforting feeling.

Following her silence, Sir Integra barks a hearty laugh, the vibration causing Kate to squirm. “Kate, you can’t be serious.” She smiles. “Even if I plug my cum inside you for the next 24 hours, it still won’t work.”

“Agh” Too many embarrassing words in one sentence. “Okay, let’s just not talk about it.”

There’s a beat of stillness, and Kate grows impatient with it. She looks at her master and the look in her eyes that has changed.

“Do you not want to bear my children?”

Seriously, how did it come to this?

“That’s” Kate squeals, “unfair. And not to mention you’re the one who said it wasn’t feasible. Personally, I trust it can’t happen. I just don’t like having to make little trips to the bathroom every time we’re done.”

Sir Integra blows a heavy sigh. “What to do, Kate, I really want to come inside you.”

Kate’s lashes flutter again, and she flushes red all the way to her ears. “W-well, I guess it can’t be helped, then.”

Sir Integra slips her cock out of Kate’s now-drenched pussy and moves them to the edge of the bed. She lays Kate down, returns her cock inside the girl and then she moves again. She thrusts away like there’s a point she wishes to deliver. She keeps her eyes on Kate’s neck and body, and watches the way her cock goes in and out of Kate, causing the girl to whine and whimper. She is relentless. Never stops. Not for a breather. Kate curses the supernatural strength for that.

“Again, babe, I’m coming again!” Kate cries brokenly, her hands clutching the cover beneath and her ankles locking behind her master.

That seems to throw the master over the edge as well because Kate is pretty sure any tighter and she’d cause that penis to fracture. When they come, it’s earth-shatteringly good. Kate has pulled one of the pillows earlier to her and now she screams into it as the master grinds and spurts hot cum into her, hips jerking to empty every single drop inside Kate’s womb.

The racking stops taking over Kate’s body, and, still panting, she faces away from the pillow to look at Sir Integra who has buried her face in Kate’s neck. “I love you,” she said, and added with more emotions clogging her throat “I’ve loved you for a long time, sir. I don’t think I can stop one day.”

Sir Integra doesn’t shrink back from the words, and doesn’t dismiss them in that brash manner either. She nods, as if telling Kate that she knows and would rather not discuss it now, and then everything falls silent.

When Kate strains her ears again, she hears the sound of the flute again.

They left Älvdalen at an extremely foggy dawn; Sir Integra’s business couldn’t be postponed any longer, and she couldn’t fly back to London leaving Kate to roam around. The contract didn’t allow it. Ian and Zuri vowed to return to London around the second of January, which, apparently, Sir Integra had no qualms with and nor did Albin and his pack; quite the contrary since the male alpha had spent quite some time trying to convince Sir Integra to stay. The rest got into the helicopter with Sir Integra and Walter sitting across from Seras, Kate and Alucard, all of whom had changed back into their casual clothing and were back to scrutinizing each other. Kate seized every chance to glare at Walter, just to let him know that she wasn’t happy with him, while knowing Alucard was glaring at her with Sir Integra glaring at Alucard and Seras just sitting there awkwardly. Then Sarah the redhead brought a bag to Kate, telling her to look out for herself, before she stepped aside and waved them goodbye along with everybody else.

The flight was quiet except for a few instants where Seras and Kate engaged in talks about Albin’s pack and how attached to that pack Ian and Zuri had become.

As soon as the aircraft landed in the manor’s helipad, Alucard’s body misted away, and Sir Integra, accompanied by Walter like her shadow, headed towards the front door looking sleepless and pissed. Seras helped Kate to the ground and, then, the two of them trudged tiredly towards the building; with the feast last night everybody stayed up late and now it was almost tasking to just stand upright.

“I’m going to my room to rest,” Seras said once they were inside. “What about you?”

Kate nodded. “Same.”

Kate walked into her room, in a state of absolute numbness. She eyed the room; Katrina had kept it well-organized and clean, and she appreciated the girl for that. There was still the echo of the music playing in the back of her head like a white harsh noise, constant. She assumed a few more hours of sleep would help a lot. Placing the bag on the nightstand, Kate headed to the bathroom. She only got out after she felt sleep ensnaring her, luring her back to her bed, which she did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Art by ChaosEmperor971 on DeviantArt  
> Poster by Moon-Walker on Asianfanfic


	2. It's Time to Mend Old Wounds

**30th December 2014**

The balcony curtains get parted and pulled to the sides, allowing the day’s light to enter. Kate, still confused about where she is, props her head up, narrowed eyes trying to analyze her surroundings for a moment. She finds Katrina standing at the edge of her bed, hands on her hips. The two just stare at each other, and then everything falls together and Kate slumps on the pillow again with a sigh.

“Come on, Kate! It’s past noon.” Katrina tugs at the duvet. “I brought you lunch, get up and go wash your face.”

Kate isn’t really up for it, so she lets the other girl pull the duvet off her. Soon as it happens, chilliness enwraps her instead and she immediately regrets her decision. “I’m up.” she huffs. “Now give that back. It’s cold.”

The duvet is draped on her again, and Kate wraps it around her whole body as she slowly sits up and yawns into its hems.

“What time did you arrive anyway?” Katrina asks, now pushing the trolley table closer to the bed. “Fajr told me yesterday that you were coming back, but we waited all night and nobody came.”

Yeah, that’s a different story.

Kate picks the glass of the hot chocolate Katrina just prepared and stirred, and says, “Yeah, something came up and we postponed. How have you been, by the way, and how did the family dinner go?”

With lips pursed as if impressed that Kate remembered, Katrina faces the ceiling for a bit and lets out a full-bodied sigh, before looking at the other again. “It was good, all things considered. My father likes Fajr, a lot. But mom, she likes him” –she twists her lips, struggling to explain what Kate has already suspected– “she just doesn’t like his religion.”

It might seem just a typical thing that happens quite often, but that’s the problem. At no point should this become normalized, but, somehow, it has become so that more often than not judgmental brows aren’t raised anymore. Since she just woke up, Kate doesn’t want to delve too deep into this. She hasn’t seen the girl for several days; the first thing to talk about isn’t religious debates.

“I’m sorry to hear,” she simply said.

Katrina waves it off. “We’ll figure it out, don’t worry.” She points at the toasted garlic bread. “Go on, eat.”

“Katrina,” Kate starts, “I wanted to bring you souvenirs, I promise. But I was literally fighting for my life there, so I didn’t have a lot of free time. I’m sorry.”

“Are you being serious now?” Katrina sits on the bed, upper half of her body slightly twisted to face Kate. “When I came to your room last week and didn’t find you, I knew something was up. I know what kind of work Sir Hellsing does, alright? I chose to work here despite the danger.” She smiles. “I’m happy that you thought of me, it means a lot.”

“I only thought of you once.” Kate sneers; it’s true, though, and that one time was when she managed to purloin the credit card from her master to go shopping, and then wondered what she could get Katrina.

The raven-haired lady shakes her head sadly, her lips grinning. “I feel so honored that you did” And added after a pause “God, I was bored out of my mind with you guys gone, especially that I was having new love conquests to explore, you and Angus!”

“You’re incorrigible.” Kate sighs. “Angus is” –she sips the hot chocolate– “he’s gone, changed divisions.”

There’s a frown deepening on Katrina’s face, before it turns into a shocked expression. “Don’t tell me you two were busted!”

“You’re saying it like it was a bad thing.” Kate chews on her lip shyly.

“Wasn’t it?”

Kate shakes her head. “My God, Katrina,” she said with a wistful look in her eyes. “I mean, it was hard because I almost died there, but I have probably the best memories from Älvdalen. It was like a honeymoon. We had so many good moments. It was great. And beautiful. I wish it never ended.”

After humming thoughtfully, Katrina says. “That’s surprising, because I never pegged Angus as the romantic type.”

“What –no, I’m not talking about Angus.” Kate’s eyes then sheepishly peek up into Katrina’s as a hint.

The dark-haired girl draws in a deep breath, lips curling up into a wild grin. “Oh” she stutters to cut off her laugh, and turns around enough so that one of her knees is folded over the bed. “You mean you and Sir Hellsing?”

Kate nods, breathing out a shuddering chuckle.

The other cups her cheeks and squeaks. “How did that happen!” She gushes, “You have to tell me everything, or else I won’t get any sleep tonight.”

Kate places the empty mug back on the trolley table and shrugs a shoulder. “Believe it or not, Angus had a lot to do with it,” she said, “After we were found out, Sir Integra’s behavior towards me just suddenly changed. She became gentler with me. She was going to come here yesterday, but since I pleaded her not to, she stayed. Of course Zuri and Ian had something to do with it as well, but, I’m telling you, she was so different.”

“Do you think perhaps she got jealous?”

Kate scoffs. “Not a chance. No.” She sighs. “I think Sir Integra got angry because Angus and I were doing what we wanted. It pissed her off.”

“That’s difficult to imagine,” Katrina surmises. “Sir Hellsing isn’t some teenager. She felt like Angus was going to snatch you, so she decided to act.”

That sounds logical, and Kate wants to believe it so much.

“I’m happy for you, dear.” Katrina added. “It hasn’t been easy for you. I honestly think this change was long overdue. You deserve this happiness.”

Just like that, Kate’s eyes water. She nods in agreement; a while ago, she wouldn’t have dared to think so, but now she agrees. The change may be slow in its undoing, but the wait was truly worthwhile.

“Oh, you’re such a sentimental fairy!” Katrina pats Kate’s shoulder. “Come on, eat your breakfast. Walter asked me to take you shopping later, said you lost your clothes in a fight.”

“How thoughtful of him,” Kate said in monotone. Now that they’re back to London, she will need to re-investigate everything. It’s true she first doubted Katrina, but now that she has new evidence, she’d like to go all over this again one more time to make sure. If Walter is really involved, then Sir Integra is in a great danger. “By the way, where’s Sir Integra?”

Katrina pecks a couple of olives from their plate and dumps them in her mouth. “She’s in Newcastle. She left at eight this morning.”

Scowling, Kate demands “Why did she go there?”

Katrina gives her a look. “You know it’s not in our place to ask, I keep telling you that.” She pours herself some orange juice in the empty water glass. “All I know is that Walter left us instructions right before they left. He said they’d be back around five.”

Frustrated, Kate rubs her hands over her face. It’s still almost close to one in the afternoon. She knows how grueling the wait is going to be, especially when she doesn’t want Walter, who is packing betrayal in his heart, to be alone with the master.

“Fajr talked about you yesterday.”

Kate looks up; she doesn’t understand why but that certainly gave her heart a start.

“He didn’t want to tell me why you two stopped talking even though I already know” She’s eating some of the bread after spreading jam on it. “But I wanted to hear the story from him, you know?”

Kate looks down.”There’s no story,” she said. “This is probably for the best.”

“He did promise me something, though” okay, that’s interesting, “he said it wasn’t about what happened to Sir Hellsing that day.”

“Then what else could it be?” Because, if Kate remembers correctly, Fajr stopped talking to her the day she revealed what happened that unfortunate day.

Katrina shrugs like it’s not her concern. “Maybe that’s what you need to find out.”

Oh, okay, another mystery waiting to be solved. Isn’t that just fun!

“Stop eating my breakfast!” Kate admonishes, but the two girls share a laugh together.

Fajr’s bread looks freshly trimmed, and his hazel eyes look focused and determined as he eases one of the horses, the one with the worst temper, to quit neighing and kicking up its front limbs. He mutters something into its ear, and the animal’s fear ebbs bit by bit.

Kate isn’t really sure this is a good idea, but if Fajr is keeping his distance for a reason not entirely related to the incident then she would like to know what. She keeps by the fence, watching him handle the animal as easily as breathing, and then leading it to a greener patch on the ground to eat in peace.

When he turns, his eyes meet Kate’s.

There’s a beat of silence where the two stare back at each other, but Fajr breaks off the eye contact first. He doesn’t retreat or try to hide in the stables pretending to do his work. He takes off his gloves and tucks their tips under his belt.

“Enjoyed Fika and cakes?”

Hearing his voice after months of radio silence feels like it’s going to start raining coins. “There was less of that and more frostbite.” Kate says, and Fajr barks a droned laugh. “I complain but it was actually great. Grilled fish was their best dish.”

He nods idly, now taking two more steps closer. Then, he remains silent with his arms crossed over his chest, eying his boots.

“Fajr, is there something you want to tell me?” At his silent response, Kate shifts her weight to her other leg and gives their surrounding a quick searching look. “I know you aren’t scared of me, and I have a feeling that a part of you actually believes that I had nothing to do with that incident, otherwise you and Katrina wouldn’t have lasted this long” –he snaps surprised eyes at her, like he couldn’t imagine one day someone would notice that, but Kate did– “I just can’t figure out what else could it be. If you don’t have a problem with me, then why give me the cold shoulder? Are you worried about Sir Integra finding out?”

He uncrosses his arms and slides a hand over his hair. “It’s far more complicated than that.”

Good, good. They’re getting to something already!

“Then uncomplicate it for me, please.” Kate demands.

He stares at her with unfathomable eyes, but the look changes and so does his defensive posture. “Let’s talk somewhere else.”

They’re back in the gazebo, where the truth was revealed a couple of months ago. Fajr isn’t saying anything, and Kate is slowly but surely growing impatient next to him. Yeah, sure, she has the entire afternoon. Why not spend it sightseeing, staring at the trees and not saying anything!

“You know,” he starts, and all of Kate’s reeling thoughts grind to a stop, “Back in Lebanon, I was raised as a Christian, and my name was Mark. After the civil war broke out, however, my father brought us to England, and that changed my view on a lot of things. Most importantly, it changed my view on religion. I only went to church because my mom demanded it. I knew all the stories, memorized all the hymns, but I never felt any connection. When I turned eighteen, I left my family and my religion behind, and decided to follow my own path.” In a way, it’s like her story. Except her struggle wasn’t of a religious nature, so this is turning out to be quite interesting. “I partied a lot, I slept around with girls. I went hard. I never had any structure or rules to live by, I was just drifting. That changed when I went to prison.” He fidgets a little, popping his fingers. “My family was disappointed, my friends and my teachers, too. After all, I was going away for five years. But you know what, as much as upsetting and disappointing that was, it was also a good opportunity for me to plan my life a little better.”

“Seeing the good things, weren’t you?”

“I had to,” Fajr smiles. “Anyway, that’s when I met Abdul. He was a Muslim who had recently converted. He was in charge of the library, and he was the one who recommended that I read the Quran. Although I didn’t want to at first, but it’s not like it was rush hour in there. With nothing to do, I read it.” He wipes his face with his hands and his smile just brightens up. “I’d never thought it was possible, but, for the first time in my life, I felt like someone up there was talking to me. I felt a connection I never had before.” He faces Kate, who prompts up with eyes so expectant. “The reason why it’s been so awkward between us is because of your magic.”

That –that’s unexpected.

“It might sound absurd to you; you grew up accustomed to that power. But I didn’t. When you showed that trick to me, it made me very suspicious of my religion. For days and days, I kept praying to God for some guidance. Deep down, I know this is the right religion. It relies on science. It’s a way of life. But your magic changed that for me.” His chin meets his chest. “One day after Al Fajr prayer, I was reading the Quran when I read a verse in which God talks about His limitless power and splendor. I was reminded of the story of Moses and the sorcerers, and then I just knew that He, who created the earth and the heavens in six days only, is capable of lending His worshipers with a speck of that power.” He pins Kate with a meaningful look. “Kate, I know that the incident wasn’t your doing. I know that your magic is both a curse and a blessing at the same time, but I trust that, since it’s from Him, then it’s good.”

She knows now how important this is to Fajr; he isn’t a teen anymore, he went to prison but he still searched for himself and the meaning of his life. If he believes that Kate never betrayed the master, and that her magic is good, then she will never see Fajr in the same light again. He’s more than just a man doing his job as (pretty good) hostler. He’s more than a man who went to prison after being lost for a long time. And Kate appreciates him more than he can ever imagine.

“Hey, why the name Fajr, though?”

Fajr barks another lively laugh. “I took my Shahada at dawn. In Arabic, dawn means Fajr.”

Kate smiles, “I know what it means, Fajr. I actually have a friend who lives in Algeria. She’s taught me a lot.”

“Wait,” Fajr sounds giddy at the news. “You can speak Arabic?”

“I’ve always been interested in Angelic and Semitic languages. Arabic was one of my target languages; beside it being such a beautiful language, I needed to learn it to cast some spells,” she said. “So yeah, I can speak a little bit of Arabic.”

“Yeah, it is. But, that’s amazing, and the fact that you can cast spells,” he comments.

“Fajr,” Kate starts, “All I want is for us to be friends again. I don’t know if it’s the same with you, but I always felt like you and I and our friendship weren't something fake.”

“It wasn’t.” Fajr insists.

“You need to promise me that this isn’t going to happen again,” Kate reminds, “I don’t think I can go back to normal if this ever happened again, to be honest.”

Fajr shakes his head. “I can confidently say that it was a phase, a state of doubt, nothing more, and it’s gone now.”

The afternoon is still cold, perhaps less colder than it was two hours ago but it’s still very trying. Although, Kate admits, it’s the perfect whether to seek refuge in insulated buildings, and Katrina knows it too as she drags Kate to one store down the arcade.

“No, he didn’t make me promise him anything,” Kate and Katrina have been going back on what happened with Fajr and Kate, with his girlfriend trying so plainly to coax info out of Kate, “but I still feel like it’s not right to tell you if he didn’t take the initiative to tell you himself.”

Katrina plucks a coat from its hanger to show it to Kate who shakes her head disliking its fabric. “I know.” She sighs, returning the coat to its place. “I just, I want to be even closer to him. I want to know more about him.”

The brunette chuckles fondly. “I think he knows that. What’s more, if you respect his privacy, he’d probably appreciate you more, and perhaps even tell you everything eventually.”

Katrina pouts at the other girl, which makes Kate’s chuckle turn into a bubbly laughter. They look around a bit more; it’s a small shop, and the clerk is overzealous not letting them wander between the aisles freely. The dark-haired girl turns to Kate. “Anything you like?”

Choosing something out of tens of pieces of clothing is not easy, especially if she’s going to wear it for a long time. It has to be stylish, and the color has to be nice and the fabric has to be comfortable. It is trivial, but people have different tastes. There’s always a fear of paying for something she’s just never going to wear. However, in the past two years alone, Kate learned to pick whatever grabs her attention first and then leave before she’d even get a chance to have any regrets.

“I think I’m going to try that one.” She tells the clerk, who nods with this eerie big smile. Since it goes over garments, Kate tries the coat on outside the fitting rooms. It’s her size, of course. The color is nice since it contradicts the color of her hair which is great. It’s not too short and not too long. Kate is feeling pretty confident about this.

“Do you like it?”

Kate nods, checking herself in the mirror. “I need to buy a scarf too, just to make this look a little more stylish.”

The clerk seizes the opportunity to score some money and shows her a variety of knitted scarves in different patterns, and a few actually catch her attention. She picks three in different colors, and asks the man to bag everything.

Once outside, Katrina, who is holding one bag while Kate is holding the other, eyes Kate sideways. The girl hisses at her. Katrina scoffs and says “If you really think about it, Sir Hellsing is like your sugar daddy –or sugar momma. I’m already getting a headache.”

Kate bumps the other’s elbow with hers to quiet her. “Stop talking nonsense.” She reproaches.

Sensing that the girl’s gotten upset, Katrina rounds her arm around Kate’s shoulders. “Come on, I meant it as a joke.”

Kate glares at her. “Joke about something else.”

Katrina twists her arm around Kate’s and says, “I’m sorry, sweetie.” After receiving silence as a response, Katrina clears her throat. “You know, I’ve worked for Sir Hellsing years before you showed up, so if it were really my intention to make fun of her, I’d have been fired a long time ago.”

Still skeptic, Kate flashes the other a glare with less heat than earlier.

“I mean it,” Katrina said, letting out a sigh as they keep walking down the arcade and eying the throngs of people, the Christmas lights and the taxis and the life just bursting around them. “Sir Integra’s helped me and my family ever since those ghouls attacked us. I can never repay her.” She smiles. “I know how short-tempered she is, I tend to disregard it most of the time. But, despite that, Sir Hellsing is very kind. She may not show it, but she is.”

Okay, bringing this up is making Kate want to see Sir Integra so much.

“I also know how much this means to you,” she said. But Kate, trying not to give in too early, twirls her tongue under her cheek. Katrina rocks her gently. “Come on,” her voice ticks into a whine. “Don’t be difficult; besides, you must have thought it too. She’s buying you clothes and getting you stuff, and you two have sex like rabbits in heat.”

This time, Kate hides her face behind her palms. She’ll be lying if she denied it. But it’s not a constant thought; it’s not even dominant to make ground. Kate only pondered it one day after she opened the armoire and found new clothes and shoes.

“It’s not like that,” she said. “I didn’t have a lot in my possessions when I first came here. Sir Integra is loaded, so, buying me stuff seems like a good way to burn that money. There’s no meaning behind it.”

“Hmm” Katrina narrows her eyes at the brunette. “Actually, and I’ve wanted to tell you this for a while now, but the maids have been talking about nothing but you and Sir Hellsing. Kate, be honest with me, since you get to have plenty of sex, how does it really feel? Is it like sleeping with men?”

Katrina is being overly familiar. “Your heartbreaking story is not a good enough reason for me to start gossiping about my sex life. Besides, why the hell would you guys sit and chat about it?” Asking so, Kate eyes a pair of boots being displayed behind the font glass of a shop at the side.

“Anybody would, Kate.” Katrina says as if it’s a matter of most crucial fact. “Our master isn’t an ordinary person. I’ve seen photos of her when she was young, dressed up like girls. Now her body build has changed. And all of us have seen her bulge, one way or another. Of course we would bring it up. But it’s not like we make fun of her behind her back. We aren’t low. We all love our master and respect her.”

Kate supposes that, although somehow unacceptable, it is natural to want to uncover the unknown. She remembers herself all those nights, sitting there in the room she shared with the other maids, wondering and trying to understand everything about the master. She doesn’t have the right to condemn them for wondering what it’s like for Kate and the master in the bedroom, she just doesn’t have the heart to discuss it openly like this.

“I’ll tell you one thing though” Kate was a virgin when she slept with Sir Integra; never experienced the feeling of a man’s grip on her, and never felt their hands on her skin. But one thing she knows, and one thing only “She makes me feel good.” She says about that and sneaks into the shop, leaving the other gawking behind her.

“Kate, you tease!” Katrina rushes into the shop after her. “You know my sex life has become drier than a desert, why do you torment me?”

“I’ll make it up to you, why don’t you buy something for yourself?”

Katrina looks around, eyes taking in the clothes put on display, her throat bobbing to swallow the temptation, and then she looks back at Kate. “Are you playing me?”

Kate shrugs. “I’m bribing you” she added after the other looked so addled. “So you won’t bring thing up again.”

“You need to set the bar higher.” Katrina smirks.

Kate looks at her, far from amused. “Pizza?”

“Double pepperoni.” Katrina beams.

Kate shakes her head dejectedly.

“What time is it?”

Katrina glances at her wrist watch and says, “five thirty”

There’s no way she can stop the way her heart just jostled under her ribs. “Sir Integra must have arrived by now, right?”

“Probably,” Katrina said, now taking another large bite of her slice of pizza.

Kate opens her hands in a ‘are you kidding’ kind of gesture. “What are we still doing here then?”

Katrina glowers –actually glowers at her. “Give Sir Hellsing some space, Kate. If she’s just arrived, she’s going to need her time to rest. She only napped for a few hours after arriving to London this morning.”

It all sounds so insensitive, but Kate knows the lady’s spoken the truth.

Lowering her head, Kate says, “I can’t help it. She went from ignoring my whole existence to treating me like I’m the most important thing in her life.” It’s funny how her exposing herself like this isn’t taken seriously by the five-member family in the booth behind them as their rowdiness veils the hurt and the yearning in Kate’s voice. “I can’t help it if I want to see her so much.”

“I –we can” Katrina starts after clearing her throat, “We can go back if you want. I mean, I don’t suppose the master would be mad if she sees you.”


	3. No More Swimming Lessons for Kate

They make it back at exactly six and half; they decided to take the bus on their way back but they weren’t on time, hence the tardiness. Katrina went back to her ‘menial’ tasks but, since she enjoyed free pizza today, she refrained from inflating her complaints.

Kate, carrying all of her bags, deliberates about her Alpha all the way to her room, and whether she should follow Katrina’s advice on allowing Sir Integra to decompress. Nobody can understand this need she feels. Nobody can estimate just how much she wants to see Sir Integra. Katrina might have said those words out of default obligation to always keep the master stress-free, but it all sounds half intelligible against this force Kate has of wanting to be near her Alpha.

She drops everything next to the foot of her bed and leaves settled on one mission, and one mission only: to find Sir Integra.

After trying the usual places, Kate spots Walter in one of the hallways, talking and probably leaving more instructions to one of the maids whom Kate recognizes as Tess. She walks up to them, not really caring if she cut them off mid-conversation, and forces a thin smile.

“Walter.”

“Ms. Kate.”

The two stare back at each other, but unlike Fajr, Kate doesn’t feel any sincerity in Walter’s smiley eyes.

“Is there something I can do for you?”

How tremendous would it be if Kate cast the Truth Spell on him only to have him spill out his secrets –even the darkest ones? She’s not here to cause any trouble, though. She lets out a strangled gasp and looks around; just to avoid looking into his eyes.

“Any idea where I can find Sir Integra,” Kate asks. “She’s not in her room. I tried her office but she’s not there either.”

“Oh, yes.” Walter’s eyes fly up. “You might want to try the pool.”

There are two pools in this manor, one in the west wing and the other in the east. “Which one?”

The butler points to the east with a gloved hand. Kate’s eyes linger in his just a while longer, before she decides enough of the serial killer look. Her urgency to see her master spares Walter the angry glares. She presses her lips into another thin smile and finally leaves.

Kate opens the door to the vast, tiled room and the scent of bleach strikes her like an avenging gust of wind. It’s so humid in here that she feels her skin dampening immediately. She marches forward after hearing the soft splatter of water, the clack of her heels echoing off against the condescended walls.

Kate finds the master in the water, just a little toward the center, buoying there with her outstretched arms stroking the surface and creating several ripples. Her hair is swaying as if it’s been liquefied. She looks up when Kate finally reaches the stairs that lead into the water and says after eying the girl’s outfit, “I’m afraid you’re in the wrong party.”

Kate dips a glance at her own garments and scoffs. With trembling fingers –because there’s no tranquility to be found if Sir Integra’s voice and eyes make Kate’s entire body shiver, she starts taking them off, one piece after another until she’s in her underwear only. She sees the satisfied smirk on the other’s lips and avoids commenting; it’s not like she had any qualms to begin with. She claims the ridge and sits, her legs going into the surprisingly warm water.

“I thought you’d be sleeping,” Kate starts, “I went to look for you in your room as soon as I arrived. Aren’t you tired? You’ve been up since yesterday morning.”

“I feel fine.” Sir Integra drones, kicking her legs gently under the water to stay afloat. Prior to the incident, it would have been different. But things have changed now. “I am curious, however, why were you looking for me?”

Kate’s smile falls as more feelings overwhelm her. She holds Sir Integra’s stare in hers for a beat before saying, meekly, “I wanted to see you.”

The other’s stare turns darker, their eyes roaming in each other’s, and then she slips underwater, swimming towards Kate who tries to make out her formless shape which the water helped create. She gets closer, and closer, before finally emerging right between Kate’s parted legs. The girl gasps as the master’s face sidles up from the water, splashing is heard, and then lips press on hers. She places her hands on the master’s shoulder while the kiss prolongs, tasting the bleach and its bitterness, but loving the touch of Sir Integra’s tongue on hers all the same.

The master pulls away, her arms going around Kate’s waist to support her weight and keep it floating, while the girl looks deeply into her eyes, her hands playing with the wet locks, and a smoother gesture she finds she’s never shown. 

“I was wondering when you’d show up,” Sir Integra said. “Walter told me you’d already left when we got here.”

“Were you disappointed?”

The master shakes her head, making droplets of water fly out sideways; the downward flick of her eyes tells Kate another story, and she’s so naïve for wanting to believe in it with all her heart. So she smiles, to let the other know that, if the opposite was meant, then she gets it, her hands now cupping her master’s cheeks to make her look up again, and she kisses her, all tongue and tenderness and lips smacking. Sir Integra responds to it perfectly, and Kate is happy, but she can’t help but think the kiss is nurturing this fear Kate harbors of losing her master even more.

Sir Integra unwinds her arms, and, by doing so, pulls Kate towards the water. The girl is surprised her squeak didn’t shatter the glass of the windows. She slips below the surface, unable to carry herself back up despite kicking and mimicking swimming motions, and as terror seizes her, Sir Integra’s hand grabs hers and brings her up again. Kate emerges with a wide gasp, her arms latching at her master’s shoulders and hugging tightly.

“If you’re going for a clean murder, try acid!” Kate rebukes. “I can’t swim, you brute.”

“I know.” Sir Integra said in a barely contained smirk. Kate looks absolutely flabbergasted. Her hair is clinging to her skin and drops of water trickle down her face. The master says, “Angus said you two almost drowned.”

Okay. “First of all, I was sedated.” She wets her lips and clings tighter to the other as if she’s the only lifeline that’s keeping her from sinking; actually, she is. “And second, we were canned. There was no room for me to swim.” And since Sir Integra can hear her lying, Kate sighs and says. “Fine, I couldn’t swim. I can’t swim. But you know what, I never had to. Ever since I discovered that I could use magic, I didn’t care about that anymore.”

The other is shaking her head, refusing all of Kate’s excuses. “If you trained my pack on the principle that there are other creatures to be fought than ghouls and vampires, then it falls to me to train you to fight what’s not.”

Dipping her chin, Kate finds no use arguing with that.

“Just take a deep breath first,” Sir Integra starts, and Kate finds she’s lifting her head almost as if on command, “Breathe with me.” Kate does, inhaling and exhaling as demonstrated by her master, nervous eyes picking up on the water dripping down that pretty pecan brown skin; no, that’s distracting. She’s being taught a survival skill here, the least she can do is pay attention. “Just focus on your breathing, don’t worry about anything else.”

Yeah, like what? How Kate wants to slide her hand down Sir Integra’s jammer and fist that bulge?

The master’s hands have been holding Kate in place from the hips, but now they let go. The rhythm they established goes all out of sync when the fear flares and Kate dreads sinking again. She sticks her body to her master’s, her face wedged under the other’s chin.

“No, no,” she said in a soft, broken mutter. “I told you, I don’t –I can’t.”

“It’s alright, Kate.” The master assures, but Kate isn’t as confident. “I won’t let you drown, I promise.”

As simple as that, all of Kate’s worries dissipate. “If you drop me, I’ll turn you into a fish.”

Chuckling, Sir Integra wonders “What kind of fish?”

Kate sizes up the other’s face and shoulders and arms, seriously considering it. “A lionfish.”

Puzzled, the master asks, “why exactly a lionfish?”

“They have your temper.” Kate sneers, and Sir Integra bites her lip and looks down, and Kate just loses it. “They’re considered dangerous, but people can’t help but find them beautiful” –Sir Integra looks up again, her playfulness gone, and Kate realizes maybe she’s stepped on a landmine with that adjective because it is very obvious that Sir Integra doesn’t prefer it– “or handsome.”

“It doesn’t bother me.”

“You look bothered.” Kate said, now her hands stroking her master’s nape. “I’ve never checked with you about how you want to be addressed.”

“After fighting monsters my whole life, worrying about what gender pronouns people use to address me seems of little importance to me,” she said. “I was born the way I am, and I’ve accepted myself a long time ago. I find no rudeness in your description.”

“I’ll remember that,” Kate nods. “But, there has to be a preference, right? Do you prefer if I use beautiful or handsome, he or she?”

“Which ones are you more comfortable with?”

Sir Integra has told Kate, and she’ll put it more bluntly, that she doesn’t care how people view her, and since there’s still some fear lingering, she’s given Kate the choice. After nibbling on her bottom lip, contemplating the answer, Kate finally perks herself up enough to kiss the other on the lips. “I don’t really mind using both. You have such beauty that I admire, and I want to use every descriptor I know to get that across.” She pecks more kisses on the other’s neck. “However, when I’m with someone else and your name is brought up, I use ‘she’. I don’t know why, but I find myself more comfortable with that.”

“We’re agreed on this, it seems.” The master hums and Kate agrees, “but who do you talk to about me?”

Kate’s show of affection comes to a stop. She clears her throat and looks up, shrugging to make light of the situation. “Nobody in particular,” she said. “I asked Katrina about you this morning.” To escape the embarrassment, Kate hugs her master. “Weren’t you teaching me how to swim –I haven’t learned anything yet!”

“If you keep clinging so tightly like this, you aren’t going to learn anything.” The master murmurs, just soft enough for Kate to melt. “Start by kicking your legs gently back and forth.” Kate does, after pulling away from the hug enough to look down at what she’s doing. “Excellent. You’re doing a remarkable job.” Kate buzzes under the compliment. “Now, slowly, remove your hands from my shoulders.”

That’s the tough part. But Sir Integra promised she wouldn’t let Kate drown.

Those small hands that have been holding on for dear life, gradually slip from the master’s shoulders, remaining afloat.

“There you go.”

Kate looks from those mature eyes and down at her achievement. She moves her hands across the water surface while gently kicking her legs back and forth. This is amazing. And easier than she thought; it’s not that she’s never been into water before. Her and her family used to go to the beach at every given chance, and she learned a few tricks. It’s just she’s never been inside deep waters.

She can’t stop her eyes from widening as her lips spread into a grin, showing all teeth. “Sir!” she gushes. “I never knew I was a natural. Atlantis may have no shortage of merpeople, but I think the ocean needs this pretty face paddling its depths.”

For the second time this week, Sir Integra’s explosive laugh reverberates across the room, animated and hearty.

“Yeah,” she agrees. “Now you can fulfill your destiny by Ariel’s side.”

Sir Integra’s ability to crack a joke always puts Kate in the lightest of spirits. Her smile is knee-jerking, her voice makes Kate melt like fondue spilling out of a chocolate candy, and her eyes… they harbor so much emotions that Kate feels them as tides and tides, washing over her, forceful yet so fucking assuring.

“Sir Integra–” The rest dies underwater as Kate’s body just sinks feet first. She doesn’t panic; Sir Integra gave her word, and Kate trusts her.

There’s absolutely no sound here, just small waves swaying her hands like a piece of paper. There’s light everywhere, but its brightness has been absorbed, and it keeps getting reduced the deeper Kate sinks. It is this peacefulness that Kate will ponder for days to come; once she’s out, the Vedmak’s words will be waiting, his smirk haunting her in every corner on this manor. She looks up, and at her master who’s propelling her body downward, her hair dancing around her just as Kate’s around hers. She reaches out, but the master gets closer enough to wrap her arms around Kate and press up against her.

Kate expects to be pulled up to the surface, she falls in awe when Sir Integra places her mouth on hers and breathes. The girl’s arms naturally go around her master’s shoulders, eyes closing. She feels her body being hauled across the water and towards the stairs, and when they resurface again, Kate takes a deeper breath, landing on that one step outside the water level.

Sir Integra, as it would seem, has no intention of letting the girl have that breather as she turns her so that Kate’s back is to the stairs, and spreads her legs. Kate’s chest is heaving, but she doesn’t mind this; she wanted it the moment she came back from downtown. She helps rid of the jammer, but the sight of the half hard cock almost upsets her. Nothing a few licks won’t fix.

She tugs at the master’s arm hard enough to make her lie down instead, and she crams her face under Sir Integra’s chin again, biting the neck with intensity, her hand going to the half-awake member and fisting its shaft. It causes the master to grunt deliciously, in response, Kate bites harder. She’s in a frenzy, acting as if she’s been possessed. Maybe she is. She never checked if the waters were clear. Breathless still, Kate snakes down until her upper body is between the master’s legs and her bottom half is touching the water. After stroking the member a few times, Kate concludes it’s time that she takes it in her mouth.

She drapes her arms over Sir Integra’s thighs and dips down, her tongue swirling around the head, just to get used to the feeling, before finally guiding it into the hot wetness inside her mouth. Sir Integra throws her head to the back with an even deeper grunt, and that alone is enough to set Kate’s entire body aflame. Her ministrations lack any tone of shyness. She sucks the cock deep until her nose brushes against pubic hair, before pulling back to tease the precum-slicked crown and squeeze it between her plump lips, the action hallowing out her cheeks.

“Good heavens!” Sir Integra sounds winded, but Kate knows she’s enjoying it.

It doesn’t take long and the cock in her mouth is hard as a rod, poking the inside of her cheek and making its outside protrude lewdly. She brings a hand to the waistband of her panties to undo them, she flings them outside and they land with a wet plop. Kate teases, “Do you want to put it in?” It backfires as she feels her pussy pulsating in agreement. “Then ask me nicely, and I might give you what you want.”

The master comes down from that heaven whatsoever, her hungry eyes taking in all of Kate and the way she chokes throatily around that cock. She grabs the girl by the neck and brings their mouths closer. “You’re so stupidly naïve if you think I’d actually do that.” Huffing so, she manhandles Kate so that she’s straddling her, her knees and hands braced on the tiled step. Sir Integra’s cock prods Kate’s wet pussy while her hands undo the bra and finally remove it; the girl sighs pleasurably just imagining how it’s going to feel.

“Guide it in.”

Unable to fight, or resist her master’s commanding voice, Kate finds herself propping up a little so that she can see where she’s guiding the cock. Now that she’s assured the slick head is nudging her hole, she sits, allowing the other’s cock to dig its way up. She’s already making inarticulate noises that possess absolutely no meaning, her lips parting and her eyes narrowing and peering into her master’s.

“That’s a good look on you, you dirty little girl.” With that droning voice and those words, Kate can’t take it anymore as she clamps so tightly that Sir Integra groans. “Oh, you’re so god damn tight!”

That’s it. That’s it, just show more of yourself. Kate wants to explore her, wants her to say what she likes or what she doesn’t. She wants to know more about her.

Kate finally settles with a six-inch pushing into her womb. In missionary, she never worries about taking all of it, but this position really lands at the far end of the scale.

“Did I hurt you?”

Kate opens her eyes, which she really didn’t know she’s closed, and finds that Sir Integra is propping off the step to be closer to Kate. She shakes her head; far from it, actually. She feels so full.

“Come here,” Sir Integra whispers, now pulling Kate down for a kiss.

That kiss was her undoing, and Kate’s hips pay the price as they move, gliding up painstakingly slowly that the cock’s shaft starts showing bit by bit, and when the crown is the only thing inside, Kate sits down again, the action growing faster in each time.

Kate can no longer control her voice as she bounces away on Sir Integra’s cock, and she doesn’t mind the discomfort radiating from her knees being pressed against the tiles. The necklace bounces up and down with her, but her wet locks stick to her shoulders and face.

“You’re so good,” Sir Integra praises. Her hands move one cupping the girl’s breast and the other groping Kate’s ass cheek, fondling, “It feels so good inside of you, Kate. Do you like it, huh? Do you like riding my cock like this?”

“My neck” Kate ignores answering because that would be embarrassing. Instead, she looks down from her ecstasy and pins the master with a doleful look. “I need you to scent me.”

The Alpha in Sir Integra must be parading. She doesn’t stop her motions, but she does bury her face in Kate’s neck, where the bite marks haven’t gone away, and she nibbles and suckles, making the girl’s moans and whimpers go all out of control.

“That’s it, babe” Kate mewls. “Love that, keep doing it.”

Something in the lines jerks Sir Integra, and she takes the rein of things from there by immobilizing Kate from the hips and slamming into her with the force of a freight train. Kate, taken completely by surprise, clutches her master’s hair from both sides and cries out.

“You’re such a good girl, aren’t you, taking my cock like this” Sir Integra’s compliments have been plentiful today, but Kate can’t seem to get enough. “You’re doing great, darling, putting on a nice show for our guest.”

Wait, what?

At Kate’s confused and flushed and lewd expression, Sir Integra smirks. “Oh, should I not have said that?” She hums. “But we do have a guest, peeking from those doors like a rat. Did you put her up for this?”

Kate’s still in the clutch of absolute bliss that fathoming this mere talk seems like it’s dulled her intelligence. “What’re you talking about?”

“I suppose a girl like you does rouse that kind of curiosity,” Sir Integra said. She corrects her position so that her arms are around Kate’s back, and she pulls her closer. “Well, how about we show her something she’ll never forget.” Saying so, the master thrusts into Kate, who’s rounded the other’s shoulders with her arms and hidden her face in the safety under her jaw. The thrusts turn merciless, hard pistons that seem like they want to pierce Kate’s womb and go deeper. The girl feels those meaty balls slapping her ass, and the sound ricochets across the room.

“Sir, please!” Kate can’t handle it anymore, this is maddening. “Please! I can’t –God, it’s too much!” The master is panting in Kate’s ear, but her thrusts remain relentless so Kate, unable to run free, accepts all of it.

“I’m cumming,” the master mutters tightly, “I’ll cum inside you, Kate, I’ll drown you in my cum.”

“Yes!” Kate hisses, “Yes! Please! Give it to me, babe. I want it.”

The cock pulses, and the master’s jerky movements help spurt every drop of hot cum inside Kate’s pussy, causing the girl another desperate cry as she milks the cum by cramping so hard.

“You didn’t climax, was that not good enough for you?”

Kate is gasping for air, but she still manages to say, “I don’t mind, that was so good I don’t think there’s a need for me to cum. Trust me, I’m happy.” She gulps. “Also, who were you talking about?”

At that, Sir Integra turns her head to look at the door. “She’s the one I assigned to serve you.”

Mortified, Kate glares at the door. “Katrina was –she” the words fail her. “God. Are you sure?”

The master only kisses Kate’s neck marks, her hands groping her ass cheeks.

“You know, she said something to me this afternoon, and, I don’t know, but it got me all hot and bothered thinking about it,” she starts, “I mean I did get mad at first, and I told her that and she apologized, but later on I couldn’t help thinking about it.”

Sir Integra hums, looking completely absorbed in showering Kate’s neck with deep kisses.

“The maids, they talk about us. She said they wonder what kind of sex we have.” She tells the other, and uses her chin to force the other to look at her. “I bet they fantasize about it.”

“And it turns you on?”

It’s Kate’s turn to kiss all over the master’s neck, now whispering onto the skin. “I used to masturbate thinking of you, the thought of sex with you drove me wild. When I think about how they’re probably thinking the same thing while knowing they can’t have you, yeah, it’s such a turn-on.”

“Interesting.”

Kate looks down into Sir Integra’s eyes, the look in hers going from slutty to that of a helpless in love. “You’re mine. I can’t let anyone have you.” The other only frowns. “Nobody loves you like I do. But I don’t think you can understand that yet. And if you ever doubt my love for you, just remember these words. They might mean something to you one day.”

For a glorious moment, Sir Integra looks so overwhelmed, but that look of worship and admiration soon morphs into her trademark smirk. “We’ll see about that.” She said. “So, was she the one you spoke to about me?”

Kate is reminded of their earlier talk, and her cheeks flush all the way to her neck. “Agh, please, let’s not talk about it.”

Sir Integra is evil for teasing Kate about it the rest of that evening.


	4. Half Vampires  -  Part 1

**Prologue**

Al Brunner has been at Cheddar’s local church practicing a set of ceremonial rituals the priest said served the divine, and consumed by the harmony those choral chants gave him, had lost all track of time.

He glances at his wrist watch that shows five. The evening isn’t as illuminated as it was only a while ago, probably his sole indication that his ex-wife had came by, but hearing no answer to the door, had left with their son in her tow. The divorce decree allowed her an entire custody of their son and Mr. Brunner gets to see him on Saturdays only. He scurries down the sidewalk, light poles flickering in an unsettling buzz. Only a few pantile-roofed houses around the next block and he’ll make it to the new residential address of his son, just so he can apologize, nothing more.

He halts mid-stride, looks over his shoulder at the intermittent iridescence –like light from the poles and finds no one in the neighborhood. Mr. Brunner can feel malevolent eyes boring on his back, raspy breaths on his neck, and a shudder overcomes him when he becomes certain that someone is tailing him.

The buzzing grows more frantic and so does his pace.

His scurry morphs into a light jog, and then soles other than his tap hastily on the mud, rushing after him. Mr. Brunner’s heart rates accelerate like a rabbit’s in a dog chase. He takes the next turn, hoping he’d hang on there to catch his stalker off-guard, but he doesn’t count on finding the one who has been in his tail around the corner too, waiting like catastrophic doom. Mr. Brunner totters to the back, stumbles on his own foot before he falls to the ground with a thud.

He looks up, horror seizing him as the offender straddles his thighs and lifts his arm, pointy claws shimmer at the flickering pole lights. Mr. Brunner squirms away, shaking his head in denial. Claws come down on his chest like a bullet and he screeches in pain, irises dilating and chest stilling. As the stalker levers up to his feet, droplets of blood slide down from his fingers, hitting the mud in a soggy plop.

The light bulb buzzes yet again.

**31 st December, 2014.**

Kate woke up to an empty bed; it wasn’t too complicated to see that Sir Integra still had a problem with Kate spending the night in her room instead, but, as long as they got to spend time together, Kate didn’t really care where they were. She was surprised that Katrina hadn’t barged in yet like every morning, and a part of her concluded her that the girl might be feeling awkward after peeping on the master and Kate back in the pool the day before. Honestly, Kate felt the same way.

The afternoon dragged on with Kate reading peacefully, knowing that her master had received an important guest from a neighboring village and was now chatting with them in the guest-room, she only worried what it was about but never pried.

Katrina showed up, after having left the trolley table outside Kate’s bedroom door early that morning, she showed her face at last. The two had glanced at each other before Katrina finally exhaled heavily.

“Fine,” she said. “I was wrong.” Kate gave her a look, but said nothing. Katrina volunteered to, though, speaking on a wild, mischievous grin. “I knew Sir Integra was like _that_ , like, you _know_ ” –she started blushing recalling the whole thing– “seeing it with my own eyes makes a difference. I know I shouldn’t have spied on you, but it was really unavoidable.”

“There, you have your answer now.” Kate brought the book to her face and hid her blush. “If you bring it up again, I’ll fillet you.”

Katrina stood beside her, humming with excitement.

Around dusk, Zuri and Ian arrived to the manor in another helicopter. They had already mentioned their wish to spend the New Year Eve together, so their arrival had been expected. What hadn’t been expected, however, was Sir Integra bringing the pack together in her office to inform them of the new case, and thus shattering all of Zuri’s hopes.

**Now**

Ian is scuffing his feet on the pure wool rug beneath his feet; while they were away, arrangements were made to add small changes to the office room, and now there’s a (most likely) Moroccan rug with the same design as the tiles underneath, two modern black sofas across from each other, with a streamline coffee table in the middle.

Zuri is sitting beside the male vampire, Kate and Seras huddled together on the other sofa, four sets of eyes on their master who’s chosen to lean her rear on the edge of her desk, her hands remain inside her pockets.

The rain hasn’t fallen in almost a week, but the chilliness in the atmosphere is cold enough to condense the large windows. It’s been awfully dark today, and as the hours move into the late evening, the darkness becomes insistent enough for Sir Integra to light up the lamp on her desk.

Walter, who is standing by her side with a yellow folder in one of his gloved hands, opens said file on the table to show the documents within. Sir Integra takes in how they exchange the photos and the articles between each other, and says “Mr. Kearny brought to my attention that there’s been a disruption, so to speak, in Cheddar. A couple of people have been found dead. Mauled, actually.”

“Mauled?” Kate wonders, but the way the rest are looking at Seras instead forces the brunette to look at the girl as well. Seras is rigid. Her pupils, that are now glowing red, tremble in her eyes. Her chest is going up and down that Kate wonders if Seras is getting ready to scream. “Seras?”

“Seras, are you alright?” Zuri asks.

The blonde’s lips widen into a smile, but the smile doesn’t reach her eyes. “I’m –I’m fine.”

“I have decided to put you two on this.” Sir Integra juts her chin at Kate and Seras’ direction. “Have you any objections?”

“No, Sir,” Seras said, but her shaky voice kind of forfeits her defiance.

“How were the victims mauled?” Kate asks.

“Their hearts were ripped out.” Sir Integra answers, her eyes on Seras’. “There have been no eyewitnesses, no murder weapon. Nothing. Mr. Kearney and the village chef are depending on us now.”

“When are we leaving?” Seras asks.

“Now,” Sir Integra said. “You’ll receive the rest of the details when you get there.”

It means the two of them aren’t going to spend the New Year Eve together like Kate hoped they would. She hums in displeasure at her master’s lack of enthusiasm; spending this particular night together was something Kate’s been looking forward to, she can’t believe she’s being sent to find the lunatic that’s been ripping hearts out of their victims instead.

“Any more questions?” While Seras shakes her head, Kate’s eyes stare at the blankness in her master’s. “Excellent. You may leave now.” Sir Integra pushes off her desk, only one hand leaving the comfort inside her pocket as she uses it to pull the chair out a little, after having rounded the desk.

Walter loiters behind after the other three have left except for Kate, discussing something with his master in absolutely hushed murmurs. Kate chews on the inside of her bottom lip before deciding to leave as well; she’ll find a way to keep tabs on Walter even if it’s the last thing she does.

“Wait” Kate halts, now reeling to face her master, who says, “This particular case might be a little difficult on Seras. I trust her judgment, but she’s not perfect. I need you to keep an eye on her.”

“Why is that?”

Sir Integra leans back in her chair and dismisses Walter with a flick of her wrist. The butler nods and leaves, passing by Kate on his way with that same eerie smile plastered on. He can smirk all he wants for now, Kate will reveal his secrets soon, and he can trust her vow.

Kate walks up to the desk, but she isn’t Ian or Alucard, or Zuri, or any of the pack, she is the master’s mate. Although the effect of that has been nullified a long time ago and its authenticity still remains questionable, but Kate is still someone who’s supposed to be special. Following her inner chiding to herself for not exploiting the perks of her rank, Kate doesn’t stand before the desk, she rounds it to where her master is sitting. The master proves tactful as she turns away from the desk and faces Kate, an arm draped on the desk and the other on her lap. Kate leisurely straddles her master’s thighs and links her arms around Sir Integra’s neck.

“I’ve wanted to spend this night with you.” Kate kisses Sir Integra’s cheek, her hands playing with the dark locks and eliciting small purrs from said master. “Why can’t you send Alucard with her, the two of them get along better.”

Sir Integra’s hands touch Kate’s back, they are big and almost calloused from whatever training she’s been doing, and they are warm that Kate immediately feels secure. “Seras knows the area more than anyone else. However, the village was the place where she was turned, so this is a very delicate matter.”

Kate frowns. It’s no wonder that Seras looked like she’d seen a ghost. “And you think I’m a good comforter to her, why?”

The master’s hands roam Kate’s back, kneading in such an unhurried fashion that Kate can’t help but flush all the way to her neck. “Zuri and Ian are new. And I’m positive no such comfort would come from Alucard, he’s the one who turned her.”

Alright, that makes a lot of sense.

Still, Kate wanted to be here tonight.

Sir Integra captures Kate’s pouting lip in hers, and the girl opens up, wishing to deepen the kiss. Sir Integra’s tongue fondles Kate’s, and her lips suck on it and on the girl’s plump lips as well. She uses those big hands to squeeze Kate’s buttocks, only a moment later, and Kate can’t stifle her moans anymore. She feels this zapping heat spreading out in her body, rendering her pussy a soaking mess. She rolls her hips, hoping the friction will coax Sir Integra’s cock to rise or twitch or anything.

“You must go,” the master said, now pulling Kate off of her lap. “You’ll be traveling by car, which is why you need to leave early.”

Feeling dejected, and turned on, and knowing her state of dissatisfaction will only linger knowing no release will come, Kate leaves with her shoulders hunched.

Kate isn’t going to leave Walter running amok, she’s not that stupid. The master’s safety is more important to her than her own, and that’s exactly why she decided to place a traceable spell work on the butler so that he never goes off-radar. If he acts up, the spell will notify her. If her meets up with someone, the spell will warn her. And most of all, Kate will be able to scry him on any surface and stay up-to-date with whatever he’s scheming so that he’ll never even get the chance to hurt anyone. 

Kate is bobbing her head with the recurrent beat of Thelma La Vizzo’s _Trouble in Mind_ , the original; she doesn’t care about crappy remakes. She was switching between channels when this came on, and she thought, you know what, why not, Jazz and blues are interrelated anyway.

They’re fifty kilometers away from the Hellsing headquarters and it’s almost fallen dark outside. Seras, who is driving, hasn’t said a single word. Kate looks at her right from time to time to make sure the blonde isn’t on some secret mission to drive them both off a bridge. Sir Integra said the female vampire knows her way in that village but she didn’t provide anything as to why is Seras looking as though she wants to shoot laser out of her eyes.

The song winds to Linda Ronstadt’s cover of Johnny Hartman’s _It Never Entered My Mind_ , and while Kate is quite tempted to turn up the volume, just to rouse the vampiress from whatever rumination that is, because, Kate acknowledges, although this tupe of music isn’t her cup of tea, the woman’s voice still sounds _operatic_ ; but she knows she has a more persistent matter to ponder on. She swipes at the radio with a lazy hand, shutting it off with a grimace.

“So, this new case of yours,” she entails, using the same hand to open the file. “Mind walking me through the details?”

Seras shuffles in her seat. “I’m not really that well informed either.”

“Oh,” Kate said, looking at the photo that shows the hole in the dead man’s chest where his heart used to be. He’s ghastly and fat, and his hair is wet, if there’s the tiniest chance that there could have been an evidence, the rain must have washed it away. “If this is indeed the work of the supernatural, then I call werewolves.” Seras’ frown deepens but Kate lifts her hand to forestall her smartass response. “And don’t bring up the lunar cycle. You don’t need me to educate you about the pure blood.” The full moon was still a few days away, but that didn't rid of the theory of a werewolf either. Seras shrugs indecipherably, but Kate’s gaze hardens as though the words alone feel like thorns prowling under her skin. “Okay, out with it,” Kate starts, “what is going on with you?”

Seras shrugs again, eyes switching to look at the road and back at Kate. “What?”

Kate gapes. “You’re acting weird, that’s what.”

“Weird, how?”

“Well, for starters, you’re looking at the windshield window like it killed your pet. You haven’t said a word for almost an hour. And you’re being cagey.”

“It’s nothing.”

Yeah, Kate can see it loud and clear.

Breathing out a patient sigh, Kate edges closer to the girl. “Seras, did something happen? Did someone say something to you?” Kate worries her bottom lip between her teeth as she considers the possibility of her being the cause. “Is it me?”

After a tension-filled moment where Kate saw how Seras was seriously considering it, the girl shook her head. “It’s got nothing to do with you.”

Kate beams in relief. “Great, then quit being temperamental.”

Something cold flashes in Seras’ eyes as she says, “With all due respect, you don’t know anything about my temperament.”

Frowning, Kate says, “Are you really telling me that you’re going to work this case with me looking like this?”

“How is that a problem to you?” Seras’ grip on the steering wheel tightens and her brows furrow more; it seems as though she’d seriously swivel the vehicle off-road if Kate says anything else.

Kate’s mind goes blank.

In all those months, Seras’ never shown her displeasure or hostility towards Kate, if she felt them, she never acted on them. Now, however, it seems almost odd for her to be unconcerned about how her insolence is affecting Kate’s mood.

“Seras,” Kate said firmly. “What right do you have to take out your anger on me?”

The vampiress’ eyes are shaded in pasty crimson, they peer into Kate’s for quite a while until Kate fears they might really land in a ditch if Seras doesn’t keep those red eyes on the road instead. Her lashes flutter, and she finally looks through the windshield.

“Just,” she said, “let me be.”

Kate can see the girl struggling with something, and she wishes to help in anyway. They’ve never been paired to work a case together so Kate feels like they should try to deepen their friendship, or something, instead of having a useless debate. But for the time, Kate leans back in her seat and lets Seras be.

Kate gets out and rounds the car to the trunk, popping its door open. She grabs her duffel as well as Seras’ after the latter headed to the reception desk to get the key to their room, and shuts the lid close.

Inside room 63, Kate flings each duffel at the foot of each bed, and slumps down on hers, fingers pinching the bridge of her nose at the remnants of a throbbing migraine. The headache started right after they finally entered Cheddar.

Cheddar is abundant in caves and trees. With towering peaks and a rough terrain not really fit for driving. It’s surrounded by steep cliffs on all sides, and, tonight, it seems as if it’s been swallowed in complete mist.

Kate doesn’t know what started it, but she knows why it started.

Kate has spent quite a time in the bathroom washing her limbs, and, now, she walks out, finding Seras on the bed, sitting cross-legged and leaning her back on the headboard, the organization’s computer on her lap. The brunette pulls her duffel to replace it on top of her bed, now delving through the heap of clothes and personal belongings for something to change into.

“Aren’t you going to get dressed?”

“What for?” Seras scowls at the laptop screen, its light showing her face amidst the dim illumination.

“What for–“ Kate cuts herself off, now tossing a pair of rolled socks at the other. “Come on, get dressed, we’re heading outside before they bag the body.” She hooks a lazy thump over her shoulder, motioning at the window beside the door, “I don’t want to lose daylight.” Although it looks dark, but there is some light provided by the slowly sinking sun, and Kate would like some company walking this town’s streets for it’s her first time here.

Seras rolls her eyes and, heavy-footed, follows the other girl’s order.

The curious crowd surrounding a black and yellow Crime Scene cordon indicates the location of the murder, down the corner of an alleyway, and the two girls try to duck under the Do Not Cross tape but a police officer who’s keeping guard holds up a hand, demanding and ID. The badge Seras flashes at him next eases his mind and the man steps aside, letting the two do their jobs after adding their names to the log. Seras and Kate share a look, and start inspecting the scene for the disaster has been avoided.

Seras nods at a middle-aged female CSI, dressed in a white rain coat over her PPE, who’s already probing the hole in the poor man’s chest. She crouches beside her and gesticulates at the body with her chin.

“What have you got?”

Kate eyes the evidence markers positioned around the body of the victim on the blood traces, as well as the footprints and the pieces of sawdust.

“Puncture wound to the heart, best guess he was stabbed,” which also eliminates the werewolf theory since Seras heard her master say heart ripped out but provided no proof to credit that. She also guesses it’s the mass media’s fault for giving people wrong input. “Can’t find a single fingerprint or traces of any other DNA, no human hair either. It’s almost like he got killed by a freaking ghost.”

Kate beside them snorts a ‘might as well’ and the two of them glower at her; there’s nothing funny about a dead guy.

“Any-who” the woman levers up, ignoring a snap of joint in her kneecap. “I’m taking what little evidence I have back to the lab, I’ll see if they can find anything.”

Seras gives her a tight smile and waits patiently until the woman retreats from the scene to give Kate a ‘are you out of your mind, focus, don’t get us cast out.’

“And you insist you aren’t cranky today?” Kate approaches the body as well. “Well, this ought to sheer you up.” Seras narrows her eyes, and Kate says, “Markers number two and three, sawdust, a stab to the heart, any of this ringing any bells?”

Comprehension dawns on Seras at last and she snaps he eyes at Kate’s, “Vampires.”

“One way to find out.” Kate ducks her head fleetingly, now parting the victim’s mouth open, after a fervent glance around, she presses the gum on the level of the man’s canine and a razor-sharp fang elongates. Kate looks up and meets Seras’ eyes, wide and shocked. She lifts up, wiping her hand on the Kleenex Seras has just provided. “Someone hunted this man.”

Seras also stands up, face scrunched up at the sight of the dead vampire; she guesses knowing does make a difference, “So there’s no case.”

“There was, it’s just it’s been taken care of.” Kate offers, ushering with her head to leave the crime scene.

Seras delays behind but soon catches up. “So what now, leave Cheddar?”

Cheddar sucks. Kate hated the weather, and probably the only thing closest to comfort about this entire town is the heater back in their motel room.

“We’ve only got here, it would be unacceptable to leave so soon.” Kate sighs. “The most the organization is going to demand for is to open another investigation and find who killed this man, and whether it was the same person who killed the other man.”

Seras agrees with her by nodding distractedly, and Kate eyes her up and down with a faint frown. The blonde suddenly says, “I don’t know about you but I’d like a beer.” She offers, looking right and left before crossing the street and making her way to a pub nearby.

“Of course you do.” Kate scoffs, totting after the female vampire.

The deep-seated music reverberates across the dim bar room like the echo of a whisper. The scent of cheep beer and whiskey wafts in the air, human and machine noises soar up to the bartop, replacing the songs.

Kate and Seras walk up to the counter, the latter nods for the bulky bartender to get them a beer and a nonalcoholic drink for Kate, and then she reels around to lean back and watch the convivial atmosphere ahead, people talking in groups and having fun chats.

“Here you go.” The bartender places two large glasses on the counter for the two clients. “Anything else I can do for you?”

Kate waits for Seras to do her mojo like reading the bartender’s mind the way she and Alucard are famous for, but all that happens is Seras grinning at the man and thanking him.

Seras looks back at Kate, lifting her glass in a motion for them to make a toast, and, honestly, Kate doesn’t know what it is that they’re celebrating. The two raise their drinks for a silent cheer before sagging to the back, elbows on the plank, just appreciating the bustle. On their way here, Seras argued that the best place they’d gather information from was this, and while Kate never opted for this because crowded places make her uncomfortable, she eventually succumbed to Seras’ reasoning.

“What are we looking for?”

Seras takes a sip of her drink, swiftly licking the foam that framed her upper lip. “First, we analyze. The best way is to ask the bartender but I doubt he’ll tell us anything. Usually, in cases like these and in a town like this, people refrain from talking. I’ll have to resort to reading his mind but that could leave him disoriented, so I’ll leave that until last.” Kate finds the conjecture quite acceptable as well. Seras has more experience when it comes to field work and Kate should learn a thing or two from her. “Though, with you it was different.”

Kate’s brows tremble. “What do you mean?”

Seras blows out yet another heavy sigh. “My master tried reading your mind when you were in the underground cell, but he said he felt something like a barrier and couldn’t fully read you.” He said ‘barrier’, which, to people whose trust in Kate had been nonexistent at the time, must have meant that Kate protected her thoughts on purpose. Seras added “I also took a turn, didn’t work.”

“You think I purposely hid my thoughts from you?”

“I’m not saying anything,” Seras argues, “but it is rather frustrating. At the day of the... incident” her use of the word invites a little hope in Kate “Sir Integra summoned a team of specialists to look into the place, nothing was found. That’s when she asked us to read your mind while you were unconscious, that also didn’t work.”

“Perhaps because I was unconscious, that’s why you felt the barrier.”

However, Seras shakes her head. “We’ve had so many instances to read you after you regained consciousness, but you still remain unreadable.”

Kate’s gaze flicks downward. “Do you think I have something that I don’t want you to find out?”

Since she’s being cryptic, Seras carries the attitude on. “It doesn’t matter what I think. The truth will eventually reveal itself.”

Kate would like to expand more on this particular case because a dozen of things have changed because of it, but she concedes Seras’ attempt at leaving things to the future. She eyes the people again and says, “Despite the fact that there have been two murders, that we know of, I’m surprised the townspeople aren’t worried enough to stay home.”

“I agree,” Seras said. “But then again I don’t suppose they’re worried enough. It’s not like there haven’t been cases of murder documented in this town before.”

“That’s such a disagreeable thing to say,” Kate said. “You make it sound like these guys are used to people getting murdered.” Then she remembers what Sir Integra said about Seras getting turned in this town, and she wonders if that has something to do with what the vampire has just said. “Seras, what did really happen five years ago?”

Seras’ body goes rigid again, her grip tightening around the glass and Kate fears she’d shatter it. The blonde’s posture relaxes after a prolonged beat of silence, and she shakes her head, not wishing to talk about it.

Kate nibbles on the inside of her cheek and says, “Anyway, it probably has something to do with the fact that midnight is only a few hours away.” After Seras nodded, Kate said, “I’d like to discuss more about the new victim and see if he has anything in common with the other dead guy, beside the missing hearts, but I know we have to wait more for them to identify him first.”

“Looks wise, both have nothing in common. The first victim had dark hair while the new John Doe was blond.” Seras provides.

Kate provides, motioning to her own ring finger. “The first victim was married but the second wasn’t.”

“There were no footprints or traces of sawdust in the first crime scene,” Seras said.

Kate nods. “The weather at the time of the first murder was rainy, so even if there were any, they must have been washed away. But then again, none were found inside the dead man’s wound.” This is getting more and more complicated. Sir Integra trusted Kate enough to send her with Seras, alone, somehow confidant the two would solve this, and Kate would hate to disappoint.

“Are we even sure it’s the same culprit?”

Kate takes in the girl’s agitated eyes. “Both victims had their hearts ripped out, the exact same way; I doubt we’re dealing with two culprits.” She said, now looking at the other people again. “In any case, we’ll have to wait until tomorrow to proceed.”

Seras chugs the rest of her drink and orders another, which turns up in her hand in the next minute. She looks distracted and agitated, and not to mention quieter than usual, which is, in relation to her, is very worrisome. But she told Kate to let her be and Kate, even though hating to see the blonde like this, vowed to oblige.

The blonde suddenly blurts out, “I want to leave.”

Kate’s bows go up at first. “We just got here. I haven’t even finished my drink yet.”

“I want to leave this town.”

Kate’s complaint falls and her brows soon meet in a crease over her forehead. “Are you okay?”

The blonde glances over at Kate, as though mulling over whether to trust Kate enough to open up to her. She shakes her head and says, “I’m not.” Perfect, perhaps she’s decided to confide in Kate. “I really am not. I want to leave this town tonight, but I know I can’t.”

The muscles in Kate’s neck work and seize as she clears her throat. “Um, I don’t really know what’s going on with you, but I can tell that whatever it is you’re struggling with is affecting you so much. Seras, if it’s too much, why not leave?”

Scoffing, Seras says, “And tell them what? That I got scared of my own past?”

“You really think they’d reproach you for something like that?” Kate marvels, “No one can force you to do something you’re not ready for yet. I’m sure even Sir Integra will understand if you tell her the truth.”

Seras sends a glare Kate’s way, “Why, because you understand Sir Integra better than anyone else now?”

Kate sucks in the blow and, instead, says “because she told me so herself.” At Seras’ gawking face, Kate fumbles, “well, not exactly. But she did tell me that this case wasn’t going to be an easy one for you. She said that she trusts your judgment, but she’s still worried for you.”

“Did she really say that?”

“Why would I lie, to make you feel better?” Kate scoffs, “But you’d do me a favor if you don’t tell anyone, I don’t want to get in more trouble with them.”

There’s a pause where Seras lowers her head while Kate wonders if she should take the other’s words to heart. She knows Seras is just being uncharacteristically agitated, and she should pardon her, but a part of her argues that, if she lets it slide this one time, Seras will unconsciously think of it as Kate admitting to it which, in return, will never gain her any respect from the other.

“Seras,” she starts, her eyes on her drink which she’s only drunk a few sips from; too sweet for her liking. Suddenly, the slow beats tactfully change to a remix of Trey Songz’s _Na Na_ , blaring across the room. Even the dimness is suddenly overcome by lurid beams that settle on the dance floor, and amongst the flouncing crowds, Kate’s eyes catch sight of a long-haired man with a piercing stare, hers narrow to make him out through all those beams, but the smirk that greets her tells her that this man is unlike the others. From her stand, she watches as the tall man, dressed in leather from head to toe, saunters towards them –no, that’s not it, he is sauntering towards _Seras_. And what man puts his hair into a messy short pony tail anyway? Being handsome doesn’t always grant you the free pass.

Seras props her elbows on the edge of the counter in a way that spills her full breasts out of her opened jacket, the glass going with her hand. Her eyelids fall down a little as a smirk flashes across her lips but she remains wordless.

Kate wonders if they know each other, and whether he is related to what happened to Seras five years ago.

The long-haired man comes to a halt when he is only a stride’s length away from Seras, who cocks a dangerous brow, eying the leather pants framing the massive sack down the man’s groin, his leather jacket is loose from the hands and left open, showing how the white tank top tightens on the abs. Not bad, Seras hacks a scoff.

Kate scowls at the man, she knows her glare is scary and she’s already scared so many just popping out those eyes of hers, but this man is not even sparing her a glance as he simply mirrors Seras’ smirk, and it’s even safe to say his smirk might be colder than Seras’. She’ll be damned. Seras has just had a moment, with a complete stranger, no less.

And unbeknownst to her, Seras parts her lips, brings the tip of the glass to her mouth, takes a reckless swig and licks the droplets off her upper lip, painstakingly slow in her gesture.

The sexy beats of the song ricochet across the walls that Kate feels it throbbing under her soles. The man, far away from being congenial, finally launches forward, smoothly slanting on Seras, his back fucking arches in and out like a wave when he grinds into Seras’ side.

Kate’s face feels hot. She looks away; with the way she was brought up, having this much skinship with a stranger has always seemed something exceeding the boundaries of what is allowed and what isn’t. Even without, she doesn’t think she’d be able to allow someone to get this close if she didn’t harbor any feelings for them in the first place. Which might mean that Seras probably does have feelings for this guy? It makes absolutely no sense. If Kate considers Seras’ reaction to coming to this town, it would mean that the vampire’s never gone back after leaving.

Perhaps, it is an old flame being rekindled by the reunion?

The guy’s not simply hitting on Seras, he is full on coming on to her. He is hot, but, apparently, it takes more than a dance move to get Seras interested. And the man probably deciphers it, too, bracing his arms on the counter on each side of Seras’ chest, chunking his head to the back to lock eyes with her. And it happens, their eyes meet. The look in this guy’s eyes can bring girls to their knees, pleading to be taken, but Kate only feels that way with Sir Integra so this guy can take his dancing ass and get out of here. Seras at least acknowledges that. But she isn’t as fickle; the guy has to try harder. And the man still deciphers the hint beyond the silence. He angles his body just a little so he can duck, bringing his face to Seras’ neck, and taking in a lungful without even touching.

Kate takes another gulp of the cold drink, willing it to soothe her torched gullet. She watches from the corner of her eyes how Seras doesn’t even change her posture, like she is used to guys coming on to her all the freaking time.

The raven-haired man brings his lips to Seras’ ear, whispers something that only she hears and chuckles at. She turns to face Kate, placing her glass on the counter. “Don’t wait for me tonight,” she said, now placing a few bills beside he half-empty glass.

Confused, Kate straightens up. “What do you mean, where are you going?”

Seras flashes an odd smile at her. “You’re not that gullible, Kate, are you?” She asks. “Anyway, I’ll meet you tomorrow. You remember the way back to the motel, don’t you?”

Instead of answering, Kate grips Seras’ arm. “Do you know him?” Seras and the man look at Kate like she’s grown two heads. “Am I speaking Italian? I asked if you know him.”

“Do I have to know him to have sex with him?”

Kate’s face flushes with righteous rage. What kind of rubbish is that! If two people don’t have feelings for each other, then why would they sleep together? Why would they share something so special only to forget about it the next dawn? Kate’s thoughts, then, come to a grinding halt. When she slept with the master, did the master have feelings for her that day? Kate climbed to her bed despite her grave doubts, and now she wants to act all noble? Seras is already dealing with so much, if this is how she chooses to cope, then, despite Sir Integra’s behest to keep an eye on Seras, it’s Kate’s job to remain silent.

Seras removes Kate’s hand with a huff. “I think I can look after myself just fine. Don’t wait up.”

With that, Seras and the man walk between the throngs of people towards the exit like Hannibal Lecter at the end of _Silence of the Lambs_.


	5. Half Vampires - Part 2

Cheddar’s been quiet. It is, in fact, a quiet town. It was a wonder they found a bar at all, and not to mention the local library Kate passed by earlier on her way back to the motel, available for nerdy partners getting off on strategic alliances throughout history; although, to be truthful, the only reason why she invested so much of her time in that one was because of her curiosity to understand how the Yuan dynasty came to crush the Song resistance. The point is, doing a little research, Kate found out that, in the past few months in Cheddar, there have been no reports of eviscerated animals, or people gone missing and later found dead and dry. She still needs to take a look at the first victim to see if he also had vampire fangs, but her findings were still astonishing.

She’s been fighting to win sleep over, thrashing in her bed every time that guy in leather appeared in her head, grinding against Seras and flirting with her openly. Kate didn’t feel any headaches when he was close to them, so she knows Seras can handle him. If she isn’t thinking of that, she’s being tormented by her want to be with Sir Integra; she watched the countdown to the New Year on TV earlier and wished she was with everyone else.

Seras isn’t here and Kate doesn’t know the password to the laptop, and doesn’t have a phone to report back to Hellsing’s headquarter. Taking all of that into consideration, Kate finally concludes that, if someone asks, she’ll throw Seras under the bus.

Cheddar is, in fact, a decent place, even if quiet. So the next time the wail of a siren blares, Kate jerks upright in her bed in complete darkness, eyes opened to slits.

“A siren?” She scowls at the window. “Well, that can’t be good.”

“That’s gonna be hard to argue.” Someone scoffs and Kate snaps her head to their direction, finding Seras, dressed in a shirt only, sitting perched on the edge of the bed.

“You’re back too early. Let me guess, he couldn’t get it up?” Kate goes for playful so Seras wouldn’t hear any lack of sympathy in her voice.

Seras’ chin falls and she shakes her head. “I couldn’t do it," She says, “I couldn’t betray Pip’s feelings.”

Then, this particular memory of Seras asking if she could take Pip along appears to her, Kate thought Pip was a weapon or a pet, maybe she was wrong. She presses her lips with annoyance and rises up.

“Come on,” she prompts, “Get dressed. We need to follow the ambulance.”

“Why?” Seras asks, now scratching her nape with a hand. “How’s that our call?”

Kate is already slipping into her jeans, “Maybe you should get your ass out of bed if you want to find out?” and then more calmly after holding Seras’ eyes in hers, “We’ll talk more when we get back. And you’d better have something to tell me instead of running away with complete strangers, understand?”

With a grunt, Seras swings her legs outside the bed and nods.

It’s like yesterday’s afternoon happenings recur once they step foot into the crime scene. The two inspect the body and find the same fangs the first dead guy had. Then, a blond guy who’s dressed casually and was kind enough to greet them with a ‘Happy New Year’ introduces himself as Inspector Bernard. He’s the one who informs the two girls of the progress in their case seeing that they’ve finally identified both previous bodies.

It seems that the first victim, David Morrison, was thirty years of age and healthy when he died. His wife died a year and a half ago. He didn’t leave much property; however, he did leave two children. As for Al Brunner, he was forty-two and divorced, he had one child whose custody was given to the mother. He also left behind no property. The new victim, who, thankfully, was the only one who carried his wallet with him, is fifty-year-old Edward Kane. Recently retired. No owned property. No family, either, they died in a fire accident five years ago. All crime scenes are clean, no fingerprints, no traces of DNA or anything that belongs to the killer. The police are left baffled.

Seras crouches beside the new body after Inspector Bernard left, she frowns upon their findings. “So we’ve found what’s common between all three victims.”

Kate nods. “They were all single.”

“I guess you were right,” she tells Kate, “We’re in the way of someone else’s hunt.”

Kate crouches across from her as well, and scowls at the body. “Seras, I feel like there’s something weird going on?”

“What makes you say that?”

The brunette seizes the chance to relate everything that she’s discovered thus far. “Look, if there’s really a nest of vampires in this town, why is this guy going after it?”

“Because that’s the most normal thing to do,” Seras says in a matter-of-factly tone.

“Is it?” Kate demands. “If these guys really deserved to be hunted, how come we haven’t heard of any bodies sucked dry filling up the morgue?” Seras considers it for a prolonged second so Kate pushes, “There have been no reports of eviscerated animals, or people gone missing and later found dead and dry.”

“So what” Seras shrugs. “Vamps gone domtestic? You and I both know there’s no lick of a chance of that happening.” She starts to lift up to full height. “Those things are vicious, Kate, nothing sates their hunger but blood.”

Kate also lifts up. “Seras,” she says. “Think about it, David Morrison, Al Brunner, Edward Kane–”

Seras cuts her off “We still don’t know whether David Morrison was a vampire too or not.”

Kate continues nonetheless, “They all had families and respectable jobs. They weren’t hurting anyone. Why would anyone kill them if they posed absolutely no threat?” Kate chews on her bottom lip in frustration, and beseeches. “I know I’m not giving you much, but please give me a chance. I’ll find something.”

Seras looks fixedly at Kate’s expectant eyes, at the dead guy and then at Kate again. “Fine,” she huffs. “You go see if David Morrison has any fangs. I’ll continue here. I’ll meet you at the motel later, okay?”

Kate watches her speak to another officer, who offers to take Kate to the morgue in his car. If only she can mimic Seras’ easiness, but this hunch of hers is on overdrive, and nothing will quench it. If she doesn’t find what’s the hunter hunting these men for, then her need for answers is going to hold her in this place like a wretched ghost.

Seras goes to the same CSI lady from yesterday and asks for the man’s belongings. 

“He didn’t carry much on him,” the lady, with a name tag that reads B. Mayer, informs with an air of nonchalance. Seras nods and eyes the meager belongings anyway. The lady scrutinizes Seras’ profile and her eager eyes for a while and then sighs. “I did, however, find this.” She shows her a church brochure.

It doesn’t warrant a response from Seras, except a brow arch.

“It looks a lot like the brochure all three victims were carrying,” she confirms, “a _lot_.”

Seras snatches it from her hand to look it over. “Are you sure?”

“Aha,” she hums. “Now, if you’ll excuse me” she said, already turning away and gathering her things. “I need to send out word.”

Seras thanks her anyway.

“Check this out,” Seras, who’s carrying a box of donuts and two takeout coffee cups, tells a bored Kate who’s flipping from one cable TV channel to another, “The Anglican Church.”

“Sounds divine” Kate jokes. “What, did you have a spiritual walk after my leave?”

“Even better,” Seras drops on her bed, “I have the address of the church the three victims used to frequent.”

Kate blows out a sigh and turns off the TV altogether; she isn’t in the mood for soap operas anyway. “Mr. Morrison had fangs, too.”

The two of them eye each other silently, and then Seras says, “We’ll have breakfast first, and then we can go see the church.”

Kate stirs her hot chocolate, eyes peeking at Seras from time to time while her lips do that inside-cheek nibbling thing.

“So,” she starts, twisting the vowel as a cue for the other to get the hint where this talk is going, “You and Eric Draven…”

Seras, who was about to drink her coffee, spatters it out and Kate, thankfully, dodges the hot liquid; she’s been burned enough, thank you. The blonde clears her throat, a hesitant grin on her lips as she tries to glare at Kate but her blushed cheeks ruin the feat. “You’re really something,” she said, now placing the mug down and sighing. “I told you already. He and I –it was just a one-night stand; though one could hardly call it a night” –she waves it off with a hand and uses the other to wipe the table from the mess she’s created– “You see, five years ago, I was almost raped by a vampire priest, but Alucard showed up and saved me from a fatal gunshot wound in the chest which he’s the one who caused to kill the vampire priest who held me hostage.”

Kate is taken aback; she expected Seras would dwell on it for a few days more, sitting on the window sill and crying with emo songs playing in the background, and, even then, she’d still find it difficult to talk about. But that’s not the case at all.

Seras is busying herself, putting everything on the table in different orders, deliberately avoiding eye contact. “I always believed that if my master hadn’t been there, I’d have ended up like my comrades who turned into ghouls, but a few months later, I came to doubt that belief. You asked me about what happened five years ago” she reminds, “well, I met Pip.”

Oh, here it comes.

“He and I started dating shortly after he joined our hunt, but he died too soon. I hadn’t been a full-fledged vampire yet when I drank his blood, and he’s been my familiar ever since.” When she lifts her chin up, her eyes are smiley and gleaming unlike what Kate expected. “Although I can part with him like this, but he and I have become two souls in one body.”

“That’s why you left the party too early last night?”

Seras nods. “I kept thinking of him hating me for it so I couldn’t do it.” She sighs. “It’s silly, because he already told me that he wouldn’t mind. That he’d be happy for me if I moved on and met someone new, but I’m still uncertain about it.”

“Seras,” Kate isn’t in any position to give good advice, but the other girl has come clean about what’s been bothering her and it’d feel dejecting not to get anything in return, a simple comfort would do. “I cannot possibly understand what you’ve been through. I know seeing your comrades turn into monsters wasn’t easy” and she also had to watch Sir Integra turn into something nonhuman. “I also don’t know this Pip guy but it’s already been five years, and he’s already given you his consent. It might sound like I’m saying this because I can, but, trust me, there will come a time when you’ll just have to move on.”

“I know that.” Seras sighs again, heavier this time. “It’s just I don’t want him to feel like I’m sidelining him or anything. He’s still important to me.”

“You said you two are one body and two souls, well, I guess he already knows that,” she said. “Besides, if you still have doubts, the best way you can get to the bottom of things is by telling him. Feeling guilty for something that was out of your control won’t let you move on.” As Seras remains silent, Kate does an exaggerated pantomime of a punch on the other’s shoulder that makes Seras slant a little. “Come on, keep your chin up. I’m sure it can be solved if you just tell him what’s in your heart.”

Seras finally agrees, nodding determinedly then saying “Being here reminds me of my dead comrades. When I think of the power that I have now, and compare it to how helpless I was five years ago in that abandoned church, I begin to get angry. I wish I was stronger back then, to save them.” She smiles. “As for Luke, the guy from yesterday –”

Kate interjects “Oh, so we’re on first name basis now, huh?”

Seras rolls her eyes at the teasing. “That was a mistake; I shouldn’t have gone with him when we’re working a case. It was wrong of me to leave you alone in a foreign place. I’m sorry.”

After peering into those blue orbs that turn red in the dark, Kate says, “As long as you’re aware of it. Never mind. I forgive you; I know you were agitated yesterday so I won’t hold a grudge.” She narrows her eyes at the blonde, and asks after a diffident pause, “Are you okay now?”

“I honestly feel a lot better after talking it out with you” –she motions to her chest– “I feel lighter now.”

Kate knows the girl is talking about her heart, but she can’t help but tease. “Are you sure, because I know those melons weigh at least half a kilo each.”

Seras flicks water at her.

They walk inside the church radiating with saintly reverence in the form of burnt incense cones and scented candles. Kate glances over at Seras with a brow shot to her hairline.

“You smell that?” She wonders and Seras flares her nose. “Ever wondered what rotten celibacy smells like?”

“Can I help you?” An old square-faced priest with light blue eyes that almost look dead, and a gray stubble and hair, dressed in a black gown carrying a shiny rosary, steps their way.

The two young girls straighten up.

“Hey, I’m agent Seras Victoria” –she flashes that badge and points at her friend who doesn’t have a badge by the way– “this is my partner, Kate. She’s a… consultant.”

While Kate’s knees almost give out, the priest simply nods, believing them. “Joseph Jolley” He smiles until his eyes close, and Kate almost snorts; would she get away with calling him JJ? “I suppose you’re here about the murders.”

“Yes,” Seras confirms. “I’m sure you’ve already been through this with the other officers, but my branch would appreciate it if you could tell us what you know.”

“Very well, then.” The priest sighs heavily and rests his hands one over the other. “Those men who died were very dedicated. They blessed us with their visits, attended almost every day. I’ve been at this church for fifteen years now, those three men, amongst other few, are the most passionate” –he shakes his head in consolation– “were.”

“Did they have any enemies outside church?” Seras demands.

The priest frowns, echoing. “Enemies?”

Seras senses the incomprehension in the priest’s voice, even a little suspicion, so she races to cover it up. “It’s just protocol,” she said. “We need to cover all options.”

“Oh,” the priest said, absentmindedly. Then he shakes his head and chuckles. “I’m sorry. You’re not from here so you probably don’t know.” Kate glances at Seras and sneers at her straight face. “The men who died were some of the nicest people I’ve met. It’s true they had their conflicts, one of them was divorced and the other was going through financial issues, but that didn’t push anyone to resent them. In fact, a lot of the townspeople loved them, and were quite heartbroken at the news of their passing.”

“Wow, they sound like they were some kind of saints.” Kate scoffs and Seras nudges her side with an elbow.

The priest looks taken aback at first but then smiles warmly. “Are you not a believer of God?”

“Oh, I’m quiet pious, trust me.” She just doesn’t take this holier-than-thou nonsense too seriously. Displaying pious platitudes in the presence of a priest somehow soothes some anger Kate keeps piled in but always ignores. She doesn’t know which part, but she is sure this insincere talk of religion to a ‘man serving God’ is bringing her buried anger down a few notches. “I just don’t like hearing priests preach things they don’t even sound like they believe in.” She resumes, tone scathing with disdain. “Are you going to recount the four canonical Gospels, _according_ to Luke?” She urges, “Or are you going to tell me that God’s mad at me here where I owe you money?”

Seras clears her throat, slips her hand around Kate’s elbow and starts pulling. “If you’ll excuse us for a second.”

Outside, Seras doesn’t stop pulling her partner until they’re a few meters away from the church. Kate clicks her lips and straightens her sleeve. Seras sends her a fierce look before saying, “What the hell was that?” She bellows. “I wasn’t done asking him!”

“How’s that my problem?” Kate said in her defense, “He was there, what was stopping you?”

“Um, I don’t know, maybe the fact that my partner started besmirching the priest inside a fucking church!”

Kate makes a ‘pfft’ noise as if Seras is just making too big of a deal out of it. Seras’ hand darts to Kate’s upper arm, just resting there. “What’s going on with you?” Her voice sounds meek now, as though she’s coaxing a frightened animal. “Why did you get upset so suddenly?”

“I’m not upset.” Kate is telling the truth. “I just don’t like it when a guy pretends to hold this power to forgive or not. I don’t like people labeling our relationship with God and giving themselves the right to preach what’s right and what’s not.”

Seras shakes her head, and scrubs a hand over her face. She scoots a little closer to Kate, face pinched in sad lines. “I think you should head back first, I’ll handle things here.” And added, calmer, “You’ve been up for so many hours now, go take a nap. I’ll report back to Sir Integra when I’m done here.” She said in almost a whisper, as if scared the passersby would hear.

Kate holds eye contact with Seras for a few beats before looking away. “Alright,” She said. “I’ll go back first. You take your time.”

Seras nods. “I’ll call if I find anything.”

Kate, though, is already withdrawing from the entire commotion; even if she calls, it’s not like Kate has a phone. Seras is just trying to make her go away. Honestly, this is making Kate feel like she’s done something obscene. What’s wrong with calling out fraud? Churches are no longer places of worship, they are places of business. And she’s never understood the point of a mediator, anyway, why does there have to be a guy who bullshits people with his own opinions rather than providing proof as to why or why not certain things aren’t to be done or said or whatever?

As Kate goes on contemplating, Seras eyes the retreating back despite the insistent drizzles fanning on her lashes. She scrubs a hand over her face again and blows out a sigh.

Kate doesn’t head back to the motel; that’d be too unproductive. She heads to the house of Al Brunner, second victim, and magically pick-locks her way in. She stands in the hallway, inspecting the small place. She knows that, if Mr. Brunner was a vampire, there’s bound to be secret passages because those things share a strange fondness for hidden routes. She climbs the stairs to the man’s bedroom, and takes the liberty to look through the dead man’s possessions for some sort of a clue that would lead her and Seras to the next step. She finds a couple more brochures of the Anglican Church, and even a timetable of sorts, which has the evenings of all days of the week highlighted. 

Nothing really stands out in this house except for an antique armoire by the living room, one of its knobs is scratched, signifying how many times the house owner must have opened and closed it. Kate also opens it, and it creaks in the silence. She finds cloths hooked to the bars and a few shoe boxes stacked inside. She almost leaves it be but this urgent sensation nags her not to. She takes out the boxes and the clothes, and finally comes across another knob inside. She opens it and aims the beam of her flashlight inside, finding a long flight of stairs leading to who knows where. She twists herself into the armoire and through the discovered door, and finally descends the stairs. She would have contacted Seras but that’s not an option. All she can do is stay vigilant in case something occurs.

Long fifteen minutes later, Kate finally starts seeing light at the end of the tunnel, literally. She skids closer to it, eyes and ears on standby.

“We agreed on five” Kate hears some man grit out. “You can’t bring me here at this hour.”

Kate plasters herself to the door separating her from what’s outside the tunnel, and even peeps through a slit there. She finds the priest and another man standing by the confessional inside the now-empty church, arguing heatedly.

“I know.” The priest resigns. “But aside from the cops, two agents came to see me.”

“So?” The other huffs.

“I think it’s better if we hold the next meeting somewhere else,” He suggests. “They already have eyes on this place and we can’t risk any more of us dying.”

The other soon nods. “I agree,” he said. “Your place?”

“I don’t mind.”

“Alright, I’ll tell the other two.” The man offers, “We’ll meet up at 5.”

Kate waits until the man leaves and the priest hides himself inside the confessional to walk back the way she came from. It’d have been easier if she walked out of this door, but the priest is at the opposite side and she can’t risk getting herself exposed, not after she got their location. When she reaches the armoire, she hears muffled thumping and cracking. She hastens her movements to yank the door open but it remains locked. Fear starts seizing her. She suddenly hears footsteps on the other side of the door, and raps on the door for them to open.

“I can’t do that,” a male voice said. “Now stay quiet here. I’ll come back to get you out when I’m done.”

“Who are you?” Kate demands, “Are you the one killing these vampire? Are you a hunter?”

After a moment, the strange man locks the second door of the armor.

Kate pounds on the door until the sides of her fists start to throb; if she doesn’t get out, she’ll miss the meeting the priest and the other man are going to have, and this stranger (if he’s involved in the slaughter) might drop another body. She really needs a 45. Although owning firearms is not something she promotes, but it’s easier than spending her energy; and with sleep deprivation being a constant company, she knows using spells is going to cost her. Besides, if she tells Seras what transpired here, the girl won’t hesitate to proceed with scouting the priest’s house. She knows Seras’ been acting cross since they left the Hellsing headquarter, and she now knows what’s been causing it, at least she thinks she does. This entire case is bothering Seras, one word and she’ll close it and leave this wretched town.

Eventually, Kate manages to twist the locks open through the plays, the same way she did getting inside Mr. Brunner’s home. After inspecting all the rooms, she doesn’t find the person who locked her up. She warps back to their motel room, finding Seras pacing with her phone on her ear.

“Hey.”

“Kate!” Seras rejoices despite the fact that her eyes look horrified, scurrying to the girl in two large steps. “Where have you been? I’ve looked for you everywhere!” without waiting for Kate to reply, she speaks into the phone, “She’s here. She’s back. Yeah, okay, I’ll call you again.” Hanging up, she turns her attention to Kate again. “Why didn’t you tell me you were going somewhere else?”

“I –I didn’t want to sleep the day away.”

“Gosh, Kate!” Seras is still sounding panicky. “Do you have any idea how I felt when I came back and you weren’t here, and Sir Integra called suddenly and I knew I couldn’t lie to her. You’ve caused me so much trouble!”

“Alright, I’m sorry. Now, calm down a little and listen to this, I was at Mr. Brunner’s house and I actually found something.”

Seras is far from being done rebuking Kate. “Next time, don’t ignore my orders. And don’t make decisions without informing me first, you understand?”

“Are you even listening, I’m telling you I found something.”

Seras shakes her head. “First, you have to promise me that something like this will never happen again. I can’t give Sir Integra unnecessary trouble to worry about. You of all people should know that.”

“I’m not really trouble; I close cases for her.” Noticing Seras’ furious eyes, Kate rolls her eyes, and says, completely uncharmed “Okay, fine, whatever, I promise. Now can we please get back to the case?”

“What?” She demands.

“I was in Al Brunner’s house when I came across a secret passage, right?” She recounts, “I walked the tunnel and it led me straight to the church we were at this morning.”

Seras remains silent.

“And guess what,” Kate gushes, “The priest was freaking out about the police and us, because he obviously bought the lie about me being a consultant. Anyway. He set up a meeting at his place with some guy.”

“I’ll look up his address.”

“We need to be quick,” Kate pleads. “The guy that’s been hunting them down is already on their tail again.”

“How do you know?”

“The fucker locked me up in the tunnel, that’s how.” Kate admits on a defeated sigh.

Seras’ eyes go wild. “Are you hurt?” she asks, “He didn’t do anything to you, did he?”

“No, no” Kate assures, “He just told me to stay out of his way.”

Seras’ brows furrow, and she balls hers fists. “You shouldn’t have gone by yourself.”

The look in Kate’s eyes softens. “How much longer are you going to dwell on it?”

“What if the bastard hurt you” –she looks right into Kate’s eyes– “what if, instead of just locking you in –”

“Nothing happened, Seras.” Kate cuts her off. “I’m fine, and it was my fault for not telling you beforehand. I deserved it.”

Seras pats Kate’s shoulder. “Don’t do it again.”

Kate’s lips twitch, wanting to smile happily but she refrains. She nods and quickly takes it back to the issue they have. “Find the priest’s address,” she orders, “We have to get there before that guy.”

Ending the call, Seras faces Kate who’s sitting silent on the passenger seat, and says. “Got it.”

Kate’s lips twitch, wanting to smile happily but she refrains. She nods and quickly takes it back to the issue they have. “Drive already,” she orders, “we have to get there before him.”

Seras doesn’t pick on Kate for bossing her around, and lets it slide probably because the girl’s already been through so much.

When Seras received the call, she knew she couldn’t lie but she really didn’t think something like encountering the killer would happen to Kate. She’d been wrapped in her own anger and thanks to that, Kate was almost hurt; that and also the girl’s own impulsiveness.

“Actually,” Kate starts jerking Seras out of her thoughts. “That man’s perfume was familiar.”

“How come? Did you smell it on someone from around here?”

“I don’t know.” Kate narrows her eyes, teeth gnawing at the nail of her thump. “I swear I smelled it somewhere, I just can’t figure out where.”

“Could be another hunter”

Kate breathes out a long exhale. “I’m not really sure,” she admits, “but I really hope he isn’t someone we know.”

Seras reads the implication in that statement.

Seras parks the car by the sidewalk apposite the priest’s house, and the two duck their heads to examine the house.

“Do we go in now?” Kate inquires.

Seras takes a look at her watch that shows four forty, and then shakes her head. “They said they’d meet at 5,” she informs, “Let’s wait a little.”

“For what” Kate bites out; they’ve already waited in the motel. “till the guy kills them all?”

Seras’ eyes land on Kate’s, and for a moment, neither of them says anything. Then, Seras nods. “Alright.” She pushes the door open. “Let’s get in there.”

********

As they slowly approach the door, loud crashing and rattling urges them to hasten their pace. They get to the door, kick it open and barge in with Seras' weapons drawn out. She nods to Kate to split so they can cover larger areas. Kate heads the instruction and skids away from her partner, almond-shaped eyes wide and wary.

Seras’ eyes scan the room she’s in. She finds nothing out of the ordinary. She hears Kate’s voice, then, calling her and she rushes to the girl’s side, finding her in the kitchen, crouched by a body which turned out to be the Father’s.

“Any pulse?” She wanted to know.

“Flat,” Kate answers. “He was stabbed by a piece of wood.”

Seras frowns. “The Father was a freaking vamp, too?”

Kate lifts the man’s upper lip and nudges the gum, and a sharp fang spurts out. “Looks like.”

Seras rakes a hand through her hair. “How was he able to stand religious artifacts, then?”

A noise comes from the back of the house and the two girls perk up. They rush towards the source, finally exiting the backdoor. They catch sight of a short-haired man in leather sprinting away into the darkness. Seras tabs Kate on the shoulder, tells her to tip the cops anonymously.

“What about you?” Kate calls after her.

Seras tosses her the keys and is already a few feet away. “I’ll go after him!”

Kate purses her lips with annoyance and returns inside the house. She covers the victim and Seras’ tracks and returns to the car. She resists the urge to go after Seras, and drives back to the motel.

An hour in and Kate can’t take the silence in their motel room anymore. She doesn’t have a phone to call the girl and make sure that man didn’t do anything to her since he obviously has an agenda against vampires. Kate dons her coat and opens the door, ready to go after Seras. However, she finds the blonde standing right before her.

“Seras” She gushes, worried eyes searching the woman’s disheveled look. “Where the hell did you run off to?”

Seras sighs warily and enters. She tries to go past her but the other stops her by pressing a hand against Seras’ chest. Seras glares at the hand on her sternum before glaring at Kate, an arched brow demanding an explanation.

Kate’s brows twitch and her expression softens. Don’t run off after someone by yourself,” she said. “You’d have gotten seriously injured.”

Seras rolls her eyes dramatically and pushes past her partner. “I lost track of him anyway.” She sighs. “He ran off towards the forested hills where the caves are. I tried to follow his scent but no use. Those caves are too deep.”

Kate closes the door and follows the other in.

Seras rummages inside her pocket and takes out a small piece of paper. “Found this, though.”

Kate takes it from her and reads the names marked there as Seras takes out a can of beer from the fridge. “He dropped it but couldn’t go back to get it.” She explained. “Figured might be important.”

Kate scowls. “These are the names of some of the church members, a few of them already crossed out.” The dead ones, her mind provided.

“It’s a hit list.” Seras concluded.

“Three names left.” Kate points out.

“Those could become bodies.” Seras grunts. She slams the can on the kitchenette table and drops on one of its chairs. “We don’t know whom he might go after next, and we’re sort of short on labor force.”

“Wait,” Kate sets the paper on the table and sits across Seras. “The three bodies we found were all vampires, right? And they all attended the same church.”

Seras nods.

Kate scrambles up to her feet and dashes to The Bestiary she summoned earlier from one of the portals, fetching it and bringing it to the table. “I’ve never heard of vampires who can withstand the force of religious artifacts.”

“Neither have I.”

“But there’s an exception,” She said, her trembling fingers switching between pages and her eager eyes looking for something on the texts. “I’ve read about this subspecies of vampires that’s just as strong,” she starts, “Here!” her face lits up. “Demi vampires, or Dhampirs which literally translates from other languages to vampire’s son. Their origin goes back to the Balkan era where it was believed that these creatures were born to male vampires and female humans.” She explains, and Seras listens. “Legend also states that they inherit superpowers, agility, healing factors, speed and even immortality; the whole nine yards,” She said. “They take longer to burn if exposed to the sun though, it seems their human genes prevents it.”

Realization dawns on Seras’ face. “No wonder the priest could remain inside the church carrying the cross with him,” she said. “His human part allowed it.”

Kate sighs. “It’s also said that they feed on human blood and possibly other vampires as well.”

Seras hums. “Just what we needed.” She whines. “Another species to add to the list and we’re back to square one.” Aren’t they supposed to be cleansing the world from them?

Kate scratches the back of her head absentmindedly. “It still doesn’t add up,” she said. “Why’s that guy going after them when they haven’t hurt anyone?”

“Haven’t doesn’t mean won’t.” Seras shrugs and takes another swig of her beer.

“They were attending church, Seras.” Kate drones. “If they were planning on feeding on the townspeople, then why the heck bother keeping up appearances?”

Seras points her index at Kate. “Exactly.”

Kate blows out a sigh and sags back on the backrest of the chair. “We need to stop him.”

Seras rubs her nape. “How?”

“Look, only three names are left on this paper.” Kate resumes. “If we can’t survey the three men separately, how about we just get them into one room?” Seras looks up at that, interested. “Easier than beating ourselves on whom to protect first.” She shrugs a shoulder, hand fidgeting with the paper. “Besides, safety in numbers.”

Seras managed to get the other three men’s address from the Inspector, and, by visiting all three with their car, they managed to convince two of the vampires to go with them if they wanted to live through this night. The third man, the same the priest argued with before his death, wasn’t that subservient to deal with. Lacking patience though, Seras scared him into following by threatening him with a wooden stick.

“Okay, answer this” –Seras sidesteps the three men huddled in one spot inside the basement of one of the men’s houses, nonchalantly swinging the ball-peen hammer in her hand– “why is one hunter so adamant on taking down each and every one of you despite the fact you all attend church and, mother of surprise, haven’t sucked any human yet?”

The man, who talked to the priest before and warned him about the hunter, looks up with a sheen of sweat glittering on his forehead. “We don’t know,” he said. “We haven’t hurt anybody, so I don’t understand why this guy keeps dropping bodies.”

Kate is sitting on a chair backwards, her legs on either side, forearms resting on the backrest. “Look,” she turns on her puppy eyes and softens the tone of her voice. “This man has already killed four of the church members, same church you go to. I checked the register. Now, I don’t know if there’s some kind of grudge going on here but if you want us to help get this guy off your backs, now is the time to talk.”

The three men glance fervently at each other before one of them, a chunky, bald man clears his throat and speaks. “A few weeks ago, Al Brunner, the man who died second, he came to the priest and told him about this guy whom he suspected. The priest didn’t take his worry seriously, and then a couple of days later, this guy in leather and a ponytail, shows up at the church and starts throwing threats.”

The girls prompt up at that.

“What kind of threats?” Seras demands.

The guy purses his lips and shakes his head. “Some nonsense about the New World Order, it didn’t make any sense,” he said. “That’s why the priest chased him away and promised to contact the police if he ever showed up again.”

The girls share a pensive look before the noise of muffled clattering redirects their attention to the doorway, and they find the same guy who made a move on Seras back at the bar standing there with his legs parted a little and his chest puffed out, donning the same leather jacket from then, the same ponytail as well. Everything falls together and Kate rises up to her feet, eyebrows furrowing.

The three church members stand up in a hazard fashion, wide, wary eyes remaining on the intruder who ambers into the room like he’s taking a stroll in the local park. “It’s him,” the chubby one yelps. “That’s the guy!”

Kate and Seras defend the three men with their bodies, their weapons ready. They watch how the leather jacket guy sinks his hands in his pockets and sighs, his dangerously dark eyes taking in every one of them.

“You,” Seras starts, “You’re the one who broke into the priest’s house and killed him.” Kate’s face scrunches up, looking at the new guest again, and realizing, with chagrin, that Seras is right. “What’s going on here, why did you kill those men?” She asks, her eyes glaring.

The killer winces with intention and drops on one of the torn sofas at the side. “Was he tattling?”

The two girls take a moment to do a double mental check on that before Kate asks, “That’s why you killed them?”

“I don’t have to explain my actions to anyone,” The other insists, but then his eyes land on Seras’, and stay on them until said girl fidgets. “But if pretty face over there asks, I’ll comply.”

Seras scoffs and Kate rolls her eyes dramatically.

The man suddenly jerks upward and, with a speed the girl friends have only seen non-humans exhibit, launches towards one of the men and thrusts a hand full of claws through his chest, ripping his heart out. Kate swings a machete, which she found rummaging inside these abandoned crates, to scare him away but the killer, who’s proved to be nothing close to human, ducks and hops to attack the other two men left. Seras curses and takes out her gun, aiming it at the killer to shoot but Kate jumps in her eyeshot.

“You’d hit the church members, dimwit!” Barking so, she spins around and tosses herself at the killer, bringing the machete with her to swipe it, knowing her magic will take care of the smoothness of the process. The other man twists his arm around one of the church members’ neck and tightens his hold, making everyone and everything come to a stop.

“This isn’t your fight,” he tells the two girls. “You should have left when you realized this was someone else’s hunt.”

“Sorry to disappoint, Snake Plissken.” Seras gripes, cocking her forty-five. “Why don’t you let the poor man go so we can all sit and talk about this, huh?”

“You don’t know what you’ve stepped into.” The killer yanks his arm and makes his hostage mewl. “If you insist on messing up my pace, I’ll have no choice but to kill you, too.”

“Alright.” Kate lifts up both her hands in surrender. “Alright.”

The rest watch her with curious and worried eyes.

“Why don’t you tell us, okay, so we can understand?” She attempts to stall so that she can buy them time to think of a way to free the church member, and she hopes leaving it up to Seras won’t overwhelm her partner. “No need for the mayhem.”

The leather guy twists his face, undecided, but Kate’s mollifying look settles things for him. “The church,” he starts, and the girl rejoice inwardly for they’re getting to something at last with this guy. “It’s just a font. The priest was a half-vamp, he turned a few members and brainwashed them into thinking that his autocratic ways of thinking were what would benefit humanity. This is just a part of something big.”

“Autocratic, how?”

“The power of one,” He said. “The priest deluded his followers into thinking that they’d reign as one, and eradicate humans since they’re stronger. They have been turning people, but not killing them. That would have come after their nest contained enough half-vamps to run this place.”

“And how do you know all this?”

“I’ve been hearing rumors at first, but then I took matters into hand and did my own digging. I’m a half-vamp, too, so getting to people like them wasn’t that hard.”

Seras was looking for ways to save the hostage, but hearing this half-vamp, she decides to put everything on hold for a moment. “So what, you decided to be the humanity’s savior?”

“Not a chance,” the leather guy sneers. “I’m not as fond of humans as to go through all this trouble to get my hands dirty for them.”

“Then, why?” Kate sounds eager by the slight quiver in her voice.

“Let’s just say I have my own reasons.”

After a pause, the man the killer hasn’t touched yet starts to step to the back amidst their distraction, and he starts to dash towards the back but Seras jumps at him, and the two of them fall to the floor with a groan.

“I’m not in it!” The church member squirms under Seras’ hold. “I never agreed to the priest’s ideals, okay? I don’t want to get involved, please, I have a family!”

“He’s lying.” The leather guy seethes. “Half of them are divorced and the rest have no families. The priest chose only men with no attachments so it wouldn’t hinder his plans.”

“I guess he was telling the truth, then.” Seras hums, and unsheathes her machete, raising it over her head and ready to disjoin his from his shoulder but Kate’s roar stops the weapon midair.

“He hasn’t done anything, none of them has.” She tells Seras and the leather guy. “The priest is to blame for all this, and he’s already been taken care of.”

“Kate” Seras sends her a glare. “These guys aren’t humans, and this one here just admitted to what Luke has been spouting about, so what’s to say they haven’t any plan to actually murder someone. They’re vampires. It’s what they do. They kill people.”

“Not these guys.” Kate insists. “Look, we can put him on APB, keep him under our lock and key. Nobody has to die.”

“Okay,” The leather guy caves in after a moment. “You have a point.”

Seras narrows her eyes and watches how he lets go of his hostage, who staggers forward at first, silently. Kate breathes out a sigh of relief; at least these two left won’t die. They can still collect intel from them; if they’re talking about some grander plan, then that Warlock is definitely involved. In her musings, she misses on the way the freed vampire speeds forward towards her, and horror strikes Seras like a lightning bolt. “Kate, watch out!”

Said girl’s reaction isn’t up to speed with the assaulter’s as she gets pinned to the floor and straddled, sharp fangs bearing at her as the half-vampire hisses. Kate has dropped her machete during the fall, so she defends herself by pressing an arm against the vampire’s chest, and the other probes the floor for her weapon. She doesn’t want to kill him. The vampire gets pulled from backward and tossed to the wall like a doll. Kate sits up quickly, catching sight of the leather guy attacking his assaulter and piercing his heart with his hand. She also hears a wet thump. Looking at the other side, she finds that Seras has separated her captive’s head from the neck.

Silence spreads in the room, getting interrupted by heavy panting only.

Seras and Kate are leaning on their car with leather jacket guy standing before them.

“So,” Seras starts, “What now?”

The other man shrugs, slipping his hands into his pockets again. “I’ll continue following the roots until I find the one responsible for all this.”

“You should share this with the hunter community; you know word travels fast there,” she said. “As for my part, I’ll definitely report everything to Hellsing Headquarter.”

“I don’t particularly care,” he says in his defense. “I don’t like the idea of more people knowing about this.”

“We’ll keep it hush if that’s what you want.”

The other nods. “I’ll really appreciate it.”

Kate has been listening to the conversation without butting in, but now she is overcome with this nagging thought of her getting in her partner’s way. She knows she already heard what she needed to hear, but a part of her can’t trust the hybrid since he let loose his hostage on Kate on purpose. Okay, he may have needed to teach Kate a lesson, the hard way, but placing a human’s safety in jeopardy like that? You get disqualified pulling off something like that no matter who you are, even if Kate herself is interested in your kind.

“Name’s Kim Luke, by the way.”

Seras smiles shyly. “Seras Victoria,” she introduces, pointing at Kate with her thumb. “My partner, Kate.”

The two nod to each other in acknowledgment.

“Hey, listen.” Luke tells Seras, and stealthily charges forward, shortening the distance between their bodies. “You still owe me a dance, and a drink,” He says. “Why don’t you give me your number, I’ll hit you up whenever I’m around.”

Seras’ tongue snakes under her eyeteeth as the corner of her lips curl up into a smirk. “Sure,” she says, now taking out her phone and giving it to Luke, who types his number in and hides it back in Seras’ pocket, intentionally touching the fabric over skin.

Disturbed, Kate lifts off the door and rounds the car to the passenger’s seat, yanking the door open and dropping on the vinyl with a sigh.

Seras looks away from Kate’s side to face Luke, finding the man’s face so close to hers. “You aren’t actually –” her words are suddenly lost in Luke’s mouth.

Luke presses his parted lips against her and glides his rough hands to Seras’ hips, kissing her so deeply and aggressively like they’ve been in love for too long and only now did they get a chance to actually attest it.

Kate, though, peeks at the side Seras is standing, and all she can see through the driver’s seat’s window is Seras’ backside and Luke’s hands groping her ass cheeks.

Luke pulls away and smiles cordially for the first time to Seras. “Sorry for almost getting you hurt earlier, but I really do want to meet you again.”

“Keep dreaming about me.” Seras purrs, teasingly.

Luke’s smile turns into a smirk as he whispers things into Seras’ ear before walking away altogether towards his motorbike, and with a curt salute, he starts the engine and rides off.

Seras waves bye and, now, she takes a moment to breathe out a sigh. She opens the door and sits inside, and she doesn’t miss on the way Kate scrutinizes her swollen lips.

“That was bold.”

“What,” Seras starts, “Making out in the open?” Seras only shrugs.

With a self-assured smile, Kate looks at the windshield. “Let’s head back home.”


	6. EXTRA - 1 A Get Together Party

**Somewhere around the third week of January 2015.**

Inside this manor, every person gets the food delivered right to their mouth, which is super cool; however, after the master had chained and locked herself for three nights in a row, causing her pack to shrink in and meep, Kate realized that things needed to change. That’s why she’s seeking out Zuri. The girl is a strong beta who admires and respects her Alpha, so Kate concludes that she’d be the easiest to convince; that and the fact that werewolves have a strong sense of family, they _seek_ emotional and physical bonding.

Standing at the door, Kate hears an operatic voice which, at first, she assumed was coming from a CD player or something until she realized that it is actually Zuri who’s singing. She knocks, and the singing stops.

Zuri opens the door, standing in the gab with one of her hands on the handle and the other on the door frame. She’s dressed in another colorful shirt and dark jeans, barefooted. “Kate” she doesn’t sound surprised, Kate knows the beta had known it was her the moment she approached this hallway. “What’s wrong?”

Kate presses her lips together to force a smile. “Hey, um, I was hoping you could help me with something.”

After a beat of silent scrutinizing, Zuri moves out of the way and ushers Kate in. The girls walk inside, Zuri heads to her bed and Kate stands there, just taking in the room. She’s seen this room before, but the second examination happens instinctively. She feels the same serene energy looking at the lavender-shaded room, but with the antic, oval Victorian mirror on the wall, and the hanging chandelier with the two bulbs, it literally feels like Kate’s stepped into a different realm.

“So, what can I do for you?”

Kate nods and seats herself on the chesterfield sofa at the side. “This is actually about the pack. I’ve been thinking, especially after what everybody went through last full moon, what if, instead of having separate meals, we can just sit together at one table like a proper pack?”

Zuri lifts a sharp brow. “Have you discussed this with the others?”

“No, I haven’t.” Kate shakes her head. “But, I’m asking you first because I’d like you to handle Ian. I can deal with Seras.”

Zuri fumbles with her phone, flipping in the air distractedly. “How do you know that this what everybody wants? If they didn’t like how things are, don’t you think someone would have said something by now?”

Alright, that’s an interesting question. “Do you like how things are now?” Zuri shrugs and Kate scoffs. “I know that a beta such as yourself isn’t really satisfied with only this. Your kind craves skinship. I’m telling you that you can have that, and more. The others probably don’t understand how important that is, but if you’d make them understand, things will change.”

“How do you know that for sure?”

“Come on, you call yourselves a pack, but you’re hardly speaking to each other. Everyone is doing their own thing.” Kate blows out a sigh. “If you don’t want this to happen, fine by me. But we can at least try.”

Zuri sighes after listening to Kate’s case. “What about Alucard?”

Kate rolls her eyes; just imagining him sitting together with them makes her lose her appetite. “It’s up to him. Personally, I don’t care.”

“What about Ian, he’s not going to agree if Alucard isn’t involved.”

“I was kind of hoping you’d help with that. Seras might not be a problem, but you know how Ian is. He won’t listen to me,” She said. “Also, if he considers Sir Integra as his legitimate Alpha, then it wouldn’t really matter if Alucard shows up at all.”

The dark-skinned purses her lips slightly in thought before saying “Alright, let’s do this.”

They make their way to Ian’s room, knock and wait. The young man is shouting at someone to take cover, which Zuri rolls her eyes at and then pounds on the door again. After a moment, Ian opens the door, showing up dressed in a plain white t and jogging shorts. There are red headphones on his head. But finding that it is Zuri, with _Kate_ , he goes to shut the door but Zuri’s hand stops it.

“What?” He seethes.

“We want to talk.”

“Make it quick, I have a game to finish.” He huffs, walking back to his desk.

This is honestly the first time Kate has ever stepped into the vampire’s room. While Zuri converses with Ian about the game he’s been playing on his computer, Kate eyes the place, the posters of racing cars, the blue lava lamps on both nightstands of the convertible bed. There are a couple of baseball players’ standees and racers’ cut-outs placed in different angles. She smiles to herself, concluding that, despite what he’s become, Ian is just a regular teenagers.

Zuri, after getting bored with the game, leans back and crosses her arms. “Anyway,” she starts. “Kate thinks that maybe it’d be a good idea to start having meals together” –it wasn’t a smart move on her part, really, considering that Ian is allergic to Kate’s name– “What do you think?”

Without looking away from the screen, Ian scoffs. “That’s the dumbest idea I’ve ever heard.”

Kate wanted to smash his head through the computer screen but Zuri is already smacking the man’s headphones so hard that they spin half-way to his face, saving her the trouble.

“She’s the Alpha’s mate, you moron, show some freaking respect.”

A sliver of pride blooms in Kate’s chest at how highly Zuri thinks of her; although, Kate can attribute that to the fact that Kate sleeps with Sir Integra. She decides to take matters into hand. “Look, I know you can’t stand me, but think about this for a second. Not only have you become stronger, but you have new friends, and a new family. Sir Integra has gone through trouble to bring you here and enroll you in school. She’s given you so much. Wouldn’t it be great if you could eat together with her and everyone else?”

Ian rights the headphones and asks, “If we’re going to have meals together, then Alucard should be invited as well.”

Zuri gives the _I-told-you-so_ look and Kate sighs. “If you want him at the table, you invite him; he’s your master.” As Ian says nothing, Kate tacks on “It would be nice if you’d convince him, though.”

Somehow, this is ought to make Ian feel like the girls have no option but to rely on him to bring Alucard to the dinner table. Honestly, Kate doesn’t care either way, it’s not like the two of them have a nice record of tolerating each other.

Ian nods faintly, agreeing to their offer at last.

Outside, Zuri and Kate stand there eying the door and listening to Ian yelling at his computer.

“One down, two to go.”

Kate looks up at the fill-figured woman. “Who’s the other one?”

“Who else” Scoffing, Zuri says, “Sir Integra of course.”

Kate didn’t even consider the possibility of Sir Integra turning down their offer. She starts panicking, but Zuri’s hand on her shoulder anchors her.

“It’s going to be fine.” She smiles, showing those ivory white teeth. “You go talk to Seras and I’ll go inform Mrs. Marcy to prepare all of the Alpha’s favorites. Any requests?”

Kate returns the smile and shakes her head; she has none. “Thank you.”

She finds Seras training in the gun room, moving swiftly across the room and shooting laser targets with her gun. She’s dressed in leather pants, shoes and jacket, and she’s let her hair down. She looks totally badass. After killing the ammo, she faces Kate who’s been waiting patiently on the bench.

“Do you have something faster than laser?”

Kate prompts up, making her way towards the blonde. “Not faster, but I do have something that can change its trajectory midair.”

Seras approaches her, smile widening. “Perfect. Is it okay with you if I arrange for you to train us again?”

Naturally, Kate wants to say yes, but something clicks and she realizes that this is a perfect chance to gain Seras’ consent. “Only if you agree to join us to the dinner table tonight.”

“Us?” Seras cocks her head, eyes confused.

“Zuri and Ian agreed to have a meal together,” she said. “I want everybody to be there, including Sir Integra.”

Unlike what Kate expected, Seras beams. “That’s fantastic!” She exclaims. “I think it’s a great idea. Alright, I’ll be there tonight.”

Overcoming the shock, Kate grins. “Great, um, okay, I’ll see you then. You can arrange for that training session anytime you want. No problem.”

“Will do,” Seras said with a smile, watching Kate trotting happily out of the door.

The night falls quickly, upping Kate to hasten the preparations. Since it’s eight, the master should be here any minute now. Zuri has dealt with Mrs. Marcy, and, thanks to that, the long, eight-seater table now looks gorgeous; there’s sapid meat that’s been sprinkled with herbs, looking well-cooked and juicy. There are several bottles of rich, inky, redolent wine. The entire living-room is fragrant with ambrosial fruits, and illuminated by several floor and table lamps placed in different angles.

As Kate watches Tess and Katrina placing a number of herbaceous-looking side dishes and bottles of juice on the empty spots of the table, Ian, dressed in black pants and slim button-down shirt, walks in with a little of a saunter in his gait, his musky cologne filling the place. He walks past Kate, who’s standing a little next to the entrance, and chooses a chair in the middle, leaving both ends of the table empty; at least he’s dressed up and being polite. Then Zuri and Seras enter as well, chatting and sharing a laugh together.

They stop and smile at Kate.

“Nervous?” Zuri, who is wearing another one of her oversize and checkered shirts and short shorts that show her smooth long legs, asks.

Although Kate’s been trying not to show it, but she should always remember that her feelings now not only can they be heard, but can be scented as well. She breathes out a shaky sigh and says. “A little.” She’s dressed up for this as well, wearing a black blouse and a water-melon pink, black-dotted midi-skirt with black open high-heel sandals. Katrina was crafty enough to do Kate’s hair into a messy bun.

Seras, dressed as before with the only difference being her hair done in a ponytail, approaches Kate and rests a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t be, it’s going to be fine.” She faces the direction of the door now. “They’re heading this way, we’d better seat ourselves.”

Nodding in agreement, the three girls head to the table where Ian is already filling himself a glass of wine, which of course doesn’t make it to his mouth because Zuri snatches it right from his hand before sitting next to him. Kate didn’t plan it this far, one because she doesn’t know whether Alucard will be joining or not, and two because whether he did or not she’d still have a problem with him sitting on the other end of the table where she would like to sit, seeing that she’s the Alpha’s mate. But he is older than her, and Sir Integra trusts him more. He’s also worked more cases than Kate. It’d be natural as breathing if he sat there, and nobody would say anything.

Seras sits opposite the other two, taking her seat in the middle of the long table and taking a moment to eye the bottles of fresh blood prepared for her and the other two vampires.

“Aren’t you going to sit down?” Zuri asks suddenly, rousing Kate from her thoughts.

As Kate finally settles on sitting on the other end, three people enter the room, shifting everyone’s attention; Sir Integra, followed by Walter and Alucard, all dressed in representative garments as they’ve obviously come back from an official mission, they come in. The pack utter gushed welcomes, and Ian’s is the most effusive seeing that Alucard has indeed joined them for tonight, which somehow upsets Kate because now her earlier determination is being questioned again.

Sir Integra eyes all of the place and the food and the people, before her mismatched eyes settle on Kate’s. “What’s the occasion?”

Kate relents with a smile, secretly relieved that she wasn’t rebuked for selfishly ordering the maids to guide the master here without considering the fact that Sir Integra could be too tired to indulge anyone’s whims. She shakes her head, wanting to say that there’s no occasion, just wants them to have a nice meal together, but Seras beats her to it.

“Kate is doing this so we can all eat together from now on,” she said. “I think it’s a good idea.”

With a blush, Kate reads her master’s reaction which goes from confused to composed in a few seconds. “You must be tired, you all are, but everyone’s put a lot of effort in. I hope you can join us tonight. Mrs. Marcy’s prepared everyone’s favorites.”

“Oh,” Walter suddenly hums. “You’re not plotting anything again, are you?”

The smile almost falls from her lips, but she squeezes them to not show how her throat has just constricted. Actually, she knows it’s not right, but she’s been trying to involve herself with every one of them, hoping it’d clear their doubts. Yet, deep down, she’s always known the doubts could never be cleared. The aftereffects have been massive, too great for any of them to overlook or try to live with. If she didn’t doubt that Walter had nothing to do with what happened in the woods, she would have taken it like she deserved the humiliation, but he’s up to something, and if he chooses to be like this, then Kate will show him that she’s not one to forgive it.

She looks firmly at Walter; whatever happened in the past, it’s not a good enough reason for him to ruin her happiness. “Yes, actually.” She smirks. “Instead of living here like it’s a hotel with room service, I’ve decided to get the pa –unit together,” she said. “I’ve hoped such a thing would be advised by you, but imagine my disappointment.”

Alucard leers darkly, as though enjoying being an observer this time instead of the one exchanging the blows with Kate.

Walter, however, doesn’t take the bait. He smiles in a serene way and nods. “Much obliged.”

Satisfied, Kate replies, “You’re welcome.”

Sir Integra, perhaps fed up with their drama, heads to one end of the table, pulls the chair and sits. Alucard does the same, choosing the other end. Walter and Kate stare at each other, but there’s a hint of, dare she say, a smile in his eyes and she’s flung to that pit of speculations again. What if he’s innocent and everything she’s connected together was just Walter being in the wrong place and the wrong time?

“Walter,” Sir Integra breaks up their contest of eye-staring. “Join us.”

“Thank you, ma’am.” He bows and heads to the table; excluding the two ends, there are three chairs at each side of the long table, Zuri and Ian are occupying the right, Seras the left, sitting between two empty chairs. Walter pulls the one at the blonde’s left, thankfully leaving Kate the option to choose whichever she wants since they’re the closest to the master.

Blowing out a sigh, Kate sits next to Seras, and just like that, their meal together starts.

Who would have thought, but Ian is quite the humorist. Kate never saw this side of him because he lifts his defenses up whenever she’s involved; however, he’s decided to unbend tonight and give everyone good laughter. Not that Kate lacks any sense of humor, but hers is darker and she’s afraid the others would interpret them wrongly.

The food tastes absolutely amazing; Mrs. Marcy is a genius cook. She kept portions of meat under-cooked, and roasted the rest. The side dishes smell of herbs that make your mouth drool. Ian, Seras and Alucard keep pouring themselves blood from the bottles that are chilling in the ice buckets, tossing a comment here and there about whatever they’re discussing.

Kate’s had her fill and, so, she relaxes back, watching everyone having a good time. Although she knows doing this every night is not possible, she’s hoping they’d do it more often now that they’ve witnessed how comforting and nice it is.

It’s quite late when Zuri says, “By the way, I’ve been doing a little bit of research on all freak accidents that have happened in the past three weeks, and I got a hit. Six people have had their throats slit open, a few were found even earlier than three months. I also took the liberty to draw a trail on the map of where those happened, and they all led me to the same town.” She leans forward, a look of doom in her big eyes. “What’s more, someone has posted an article just recently about students hearing ghosts in their high school, and guess what” –she smirks impishly– “the school is in the same town, too.”

Interesting, indeed.

“I was thinking maybe I should go there and investigate?”

“Forget it.” Sir Integra drones. She’s finished eating a while ago and is now enjoying the taste of her wine. “You’re not going just because some kid blogged about it.”

“What about the people with the slit throats?”

“It could be an animal.”

Zuri frowns; it’s one of the two, Sir Integra might have hit the nail on the head and the newspapers are calling it an animal attack, or Zuri is furious the master doesn’t even want to investigate the situation.

It’s not Kate’s business, but she hates seeing Zuri like that. “Sir,” she starts, her eyes roaming inside her master’s. “How about I go with her? We’d investigate the case together, and even if in the end it turns out as you said, Zuri and I could still benefit from fieldwork. She’s strong, and I have my magic. Nothing could go wrong. It’s a win-win situation.”

After a pause, the master said “I’ll think about it.”

Pressing her lips into a smile, Kate nods and looks at Zuri, who returns the nod.

“It’s gotten late,” Sir Integra said. “You still need to attend classes tomorrow.”

Ian lets out an insufferable groan, he lifts up, bids everyone ‘good night’ and leaves. Zuri levers up as well, bows slightly to her Alpha, and says “good night” to everyone before exiting the room. Kate attempts to stand up, but Sir Integra commands her to sit back down for she has something to discuss with her, with that giving the cue to the rest to leave as well.

As she sits there at the table with only the master occupying the seat at the end nearest to her, Kate starts pushing the crumbs of whatever she’s eaten, piling them together and watching them roll.

“What you said earlier,” The master starts, “It wasn’t necessary.”

Kate looks up, scoffing. “I said a lot of things, Sir. I don’t know which you are referring to.”

“About pairing up with Zuri.”

“You think I meddled in your business again?” Kate looks amused.

“If I tell her no, then that should be the end of it. Don’t you think that giving her false hope contradicts with the idea of getting her used to not always getting what she wants?” Despite the argument, Sir Integra looks and sounds calm, stoic even.

“With all due respect, Sir, but considering where she came from, do you really think she always had what she wanted?”

The master says, “That isn’t what this is about.”

Recognition dawns on her and Kate smirks. “Oh, so you’re upset while you had to play the bad cop I got on her good grace?” After a pregnant pause where no one said anything, Kate sighed. “I know you’re thinking it’s not my pack to command, but this is actually a perfect deal. You are the calm and authoritative one, and I’m the more lenient, more sensitive and, of course, the more attractive” –she grins at the other’s eye-roll– “Point is, if you say no and I say yes to them, it’d still be up to you to close the argument. If I say no and you say yes, however, my final word isn’t going to be counted for anyway.” Exhaling, she added “they need to hear a word of approval now and then, Sir, even if it’s not certain to change the outcome.”

“You’re so arrogant.” Sir Integra comments without any heat in her tone. In fact, Kate sees the faint trace of a smirk that the master goes to hide by drinking from her glass.

Deciding this is a good change of topic, Kate smiles. “I can’t tell if you’re complimenting me or actually insulting me.”

“Come here.” Sir Integra drawls with that resonant voice, and Kate’s lower back shudders. The girl leaves her chair and approaches her master; it’s like they want to finish where they left off when Kate had to travel with Seras to Cheddar, with Sir Integra turning to her and Kate straddling her lap.

“Do you really think you’re more attractive?”

Kate feels her Alpha’s larger hands roaming the small of her back and returning to her hips. She tilts her head a little and gives a flirtatious smile. “What do you think, then?”

“I’m taller.”

Kate gasps, looking scandalized. “You –agh” –sighing– “Fine, but I have better hair.”

“I’m richer.”

Kate nibbles on her bottom lip, finding no other advantageous traits to bring up. Instead, she decides to turn the tables and spoil Sir Integra’s fun by being cooperative. Cunningly, she ducks to the spot under her master’s earlobe and whispers. “Your voice is sexier.”

Sir Integra’s hands travel downward, and rest near Kate’s crotch. “So are your eyes.”

Kate purrs into her master’s ear. “So is your body.”

One of Sir Integra’s hands brushes Kate’s pussy as she says “so is this.”

Biting on her lip, Kate chucks her head back to look her master in the eyes. “Aren’t you such a prude, why not say it out loud?”

“Say what out loud?” Sir Integra feigns ignorance, but suddenly surprises Kate. “That your pussy looks sexy with my cock in it?”

Kate is looking abashed, but the irritating feeling soon becomes hot. She finds that her hands are linking behind her master’s neck, and that her hips are rolling, trying to cause friction.

“What are you doing?” Oh, great! So Integra Hellsing has decided to tease Kate. “I don’t remember saying anything about actually wanting my cock inside your pussy.”

“Okay, I was wrong, stop teasing me!” Kate keens. “Let’s go back to my room, please?”

“If you say yes and I say no, it’d be me who closes the argument, right?” Sir Integra quotes back with a look of absolute slyness. “However, if you say no and I say yes, it’s still going to happen.”

“You can’t apply pack rules to our sex life.” Kate pouts, bouncing a little on her master’s lap. “Besides, you know I did the right thing even if you refuse to acknowledge it. I want my reward now. I want it now that I’m asking nicely.”

“What if I say no?”

Kate thinks for a moment. “Then I won’t have sex with you for the rest of the month.”

There’s a crease on Sir Integra’s forehead that deepens at the promise. “You’re so cruel.”

“If you don’t want that to happen, then just give me what I want.”

The cruel one is actually Sir Integra for lifting Kate off her and then telling her. “Why don’t you get it yourself?”

Anyone could come in here, including Walter or one of the maids. Even Alucard could be standing right behind that door. But Sir Integra is being a dick, which Kate is craving so much. Fine, then. Two can play this game.

She rolls her chin, kneels between Sir Integra’s parted legs and lets out an even deeper breath. With uncertain hands, Kate unzips her master’s trousers, fishing the dangly member out. Fleetingly, she glances up, eyes locking with an amused stare. She gives the cock a few rubs, getting herself and the length a moment to adjust to the familiar sensation before she leans forward to take the tip in her lips.

The chairs have armrests, so it’s so mortifying and amazing when Kate looks up again and finds Sir Integra sitting with her elbows on the armrests, a hand holding the glass and icy-blue eyes staring at what’s happening between her legs.

Kate’s ministrations have grown more fervent, swallowing the hard member deep until the wet crown brushes against the back of her throat, making her let out choking noises. With a hand, she fondles the balls, but the other slithers under her skirt, under her panties and finally rubbing her pussy. She moans around the cock in her mouth, causing the master a prolonged hiss, followed by a deep groan.

The heat becomes scorching, and the want grows insatiable with only this so Kate takes out her hand from her clothes and lets go of her master’s cock, standing up to take off her panties and lift her skirt. Lately, they’ve been using condoms a lot, and while that made things more comfortable after they’d finished, Kate still missed the sensation of a raw cock inside of her. She quickly straddles the other’s lap again after Sir Integra placed the glass on the table, feeling the propped cock touching her wet entrance.

“Are you sure you’ve prepped yourself enough to put it in?”

“You told me to get it myself.” Kate huffs, fumbling for the cock to slide it in. “So just shut up and enjoy it.” Saying so, she finally aligns the head of the cock with her entrance, and then she sits. Her lips and eyes open wide, and as she settles with length deep inside her, her eyes roll to the back of her head and her lips let out a sigh.

“Are you alright?”

Kate looks down from whatever ecstasy that is, and clears her throat. “For someone so curt and commanding, you sure talk a lot when we’re doing it.”

“Would you rather I unload and that’s it?”

Sensing that her joke flew right over the other’s head, she tightens her grip on the back on the master’s hair and rights their position. “If you think I was complaining then you’re an airhead. I love your voice, I love hearing it in my ear, and I love hearing you making sure I’m feeling good as well.” She leans to her master’s ear and whispers on a broken moan. “I’m going to move now.”

Saying so, Kate braces the balls of her feet on the sides of the chair and starts bouncing away, pleasure-filled head thrown to the back. Soon after she feels Sir Integra’s hands fondling her body, and her voice muttering sweet assurances and praises. She helps Kate when the girl starts tiring and slowing down, telling her to let her do the rest of the work now, which Kate grants.

Sir Integra pulls away, lifts Kate only to rests her down on the table after pushing the cutlery out of the way. She lifts Kate’s skirt and touches the pussy that is pulsating at the empty sensation, wanting that cock back in it again.

“Hold up your legs.”

Kate follows the orders, keeping her legs open and folded up. She watches abash how Sir Integra leans down and licks her. “Oh, god!” Kate meeps, her head feeling too heavy and sugary with lust that it falls back. She senses the way Sir Integra slurps her clits, and how she licks circles, then up and down, before finally inserting her tongue inside Kate, causing the girl to fall breathless and motionless, only her hips rolling in response.

Sir Integra pulls away, a hand raking through her own her to get it out of her face. “You look really sexy down here.” Helpless, Kate looks up at her master through doleful eyes, unable to speak anymore. Sir Integra gives her cock a few strokes before thrusting back inside Kate again. Grunting, she said. “So wet and hot, your pussy is feeling so tight. This feels really good.”

With a whimper, Kate brings a hand to her clits; she wants to come from this. Sir Integra is enthusiastically thrusting inside Kate, her balls and the front of her thighs slapping Kate’s ass.

Sensing the movement, Sir Integra looks down only to find Kate’s fingers rubbing clock-wise, and that must have done something to her as she curses – _actually curses_ – before hooking her hands to the backs of Kate’s knees to push them farther from each other, and she pounds away.

“Yes, yes!” Kate cries in pleasure, her entire body rocking back and forth, her clothes looking like a mess, and so does her face with all the tears and cum staining it. “God, Sir! You’re gonna make me fucking come!”

Sir Integra is panting so wild, her thrusts never receding or slowing. “Why don’t you come for me then, huh? Why don’t you come from this cock that you love so much?”

Kate nods, eyes narrowing as her fingers’ movement become faster. “Yes! Fuck, yes!” she keens. “I’m coming, I’m coming for you, babe!”

Sir Integra bends over, and if it’s even possible, she thrusts even deeper, only to spurt her cum inside the same moment Kate climaxes. While Sir Integra jerks her hips to spurt out every last drop, Kate convulses, her pussy milking her Alpha’s cum.

The two breathe in and out as if they’ve just finished a marathon, chests going up and down and pulsation going out of sync for a moment. A moment so amazing that nothing can actually compare.

“Let’s continue in my room.” Kate gulps, only to pant again.

“Do you want me to pull out, because it’s going to slide down onto the table and the floor?”

Kate squeezes her master between her limbs and chuckles.


	7. EXTRA - 2 Valentine Just Got Hotter

“I think I’ll go.”

Zuri, who’s splayed on her bed with her phone over her face, answers after Seras asked what she’d do about the invitation she received from that guy from her school. February the 14th is tomorrow, young lovers are preparing for romantic dates and single people are asking or getting asked out, and Zuri falls in the second category. Apparently, not long ago, a guy from her school asked her out in the flashiest and most romantic of ways, with bouquets of flowers and a teddy bear the size of a real grown panda. He obviously left an impression if Zuri is considering going out on a date with him.

Kate lifts both eyebrows; she’s sitting on the edge of the bed, playing with the teddy bear. She is surprised at Zuri’s response. “I’m not going to get in the way of your happiness, and whatever you decide, I’ll respect it.”

“But?”

Kate flips the teddy bear’s dangly ears. “If he’s not like us, then it’s going to be challenging.”

“For starters” Zuri sits up. “It’s only a date. And two, I’m just going to give it a try, that’s all.”

“That’s where you’re wrong.” Seras defends, and adds “Dating is like a key to a room full of potentials, don’t give the guy hope if you don’t really mean it.”

Kate interjects. “What if you like him, and what if you find him really interesting and worth your time?”

“You never know,” Seras said, now adjusting her position on the sofa. “Maybe he might turn out to be the one.”

After peering at the vampire and the magic practitioner through narrowed eyes, Zuri flops back on her bed. “Come on, you two!” She groans. “You aren’t going to scare me into turning him down.”

Kate, after sharing a smile with Seras, looks at Zuri and says: “Just be careful, that’s all we’re asking.”

“You know I always am.”

“What about Ian, is he going out with anyone?” Seras asks, flipping the small pillow in the air with only one hand while propping on the other.

Zuri shrugs, eyes on the screen of her phone. “There’s a girl he really likes, though,” she said. “But she’s dating the captain of our basketball team, so there’s that.”

Kate immediately frowns. When she first met Ian, he didn’t hold any grudges, and he greeted her as if he knew her. After socializing with Alucard, the creepy, old vampire exploited Ian’s sense of justice to use it as a weapon against Kate, now the teenager barely stands her. Hearing about how unlucky he is when it comes to love affairs, Kate can’t help but feel sorry. If she was certain that her advice would be appreciated, she’d have gone up to him and told him not to give up, because she’s been there but look where she is now. But she knows he wouldn’t.

“Do you have any love spells that can help him?”

Kate looks up at Seras, who’s meeting her gaze with a smirk.

“You know I can’t misuse my magic like that.” The brunette looks quite apologetic. “He just has to figure it out himself.”

The dark-skinned chortles so loudly that her phone falls from her hands and almost hits her chin. “Except he’s a Capricorn so there’s no chance.”

“What makes you say that?” Kate prompts. “Are Capricorns bad at love?”

That seems like an interesting topic for the curly-haired as she sits up again, getting ready to relay her knowledge. “It’s not that they’re bad at it, it’s just Capricorns appreciate their freedom more than the rest of the signs, and, at the same time, wish to possess their partners, and they’re freakishly stubborn about it. So it’s like a struggle. They can’t even settle on one thing.”

“You really trust that stuff?” Seras wonders aloud. “Isn’t it a waste a time?”

“Tell me your birthdays and then you decide for yourself whether it’s a waste of time or not.” Zuri challenges.

Seras obliges. “December 7th.”

“Oh, so you’re a Sagittarius!”

Zuri does a quick research on her phone and Kate gasps. “I didn’t know that December 7th was your birthday. Wasn’t it the day after Ian arrived in London?”

“Yeah.” Seras nods, hugging the pillow to her chest.

Wow, such great memories to have remembering her birthday of the year 2014! Kate feels so bad for her that she doesn’t know what to say.

“Okay, so,” Zuri raises her voice a little and starts reading off the result, thankfully taking the other two out of their uncomfortable silence. “You’re innovative, charitable, and adventurous, but a bit impulsive and naïve” –Seras purses her lips at Kate, looking impressed– “Your biggest fear is commitment to a relationship that could denote to getting into a situation where your fun and freedom are compromised. When it comes to love, you’re quite picky. You don’t want to hand your heart to just about anyone just for the sake of being in a relationship.” Zuri looks up from her phone. “That about right?”

“Funny enough!” Seras says on a stammering chuckle. “I do like adventures. I actually find that it’s a great source of entertainment. But you were right, I tend to be a little naïve. I don’t know, I guess I’m prone to trusting people easily, which is very stupid of me.”

“That’s not a bad thing,” Kate said. “Being naïve is not necessarily synonymous with being stupid. You don’t harbor grudges, and you don’t have an agenda of going against people. You show your true self, and not many are brave enough to do that. Um, but it would be wiser to tone it down, I mean you could become an easy target and people would try to use you.”

“I know.” Seras sighs faintly. “I am doing okay, compared to how I used to be in the past. As for love, well, you’re not wrong either. It takes a really special one for me to fall in love.”

Zuri swings her index, her plump lips pressing in acknowledgment. “You’re compatible with people from my sign. Aries partners are what you’re looking for. We’re passionate, motivated, and confident leaders. On that note, Leos are a good match to you as well, though they’re a bit arrogant.” Kate wonders if Alucard is a Leo; just where does he get that limitless supply of arrogance?!

“Hey” Kate can’t contain herself anymore “Does any of you two know what Alucard’s birthday is?”

“Now that you mention it” Seras sits up, stroking her lower chin. “If I remember correctly, I think it’s August 31st.”

Holy awesome. That means Kate was right!

She gushes. “He was born on August? So he’s a Leo, right?!”

Zuri, on the other hand, winces. “Not really. He was born on the 31st, so that makes him a Virgo. They’re interesting. They’re one of the most practical signs. They’re known to be logical and systematic. Actually, they’re very compatible with Capricorns, so Ian might still stand a chance.” The three of them share a laugh at just how wrong that is. “And, Sagittarius is incompatible with Virgo” –she faces Seras– “oops.” The blonde shakes her head on a small eye-roll. Zuri’s eyes brighten up. “Virgos love witty banter, so that might explain the taunting between him and Kate. When it comes to sex, they like to try new kinks, and, apparently, they like to watch.”

While Seras woos into her pillow, Kate groans deeply. “God, I don’t want you to use my name and his and the word kinks in the same sentence ever again. I’m already getting uncomfortable in my own skin.”

That gives the two girls a good laugh, and then Seras coaxes. “Come on, Kate, you two are always butting heads, do you really not find him attractive?”

Zuri shrieks. “I know right! He’s actually really good looking!”

Yeah, for a 500 years old tampon!

The curtly-haired looks up at the ceiling, wistful eyes glinting. “He’s got really beautiful eyes. He’s tall, which is a plus. His voice is deep and sexy. He’s strong.”

Seras is nodding fervently, agreeing to her. Kate lowers her gaze and scratches the back of her neck. This is really uncomfortable.

“If those are the requirements, then I’d pick Walter over him.” Kate teases. “He’s tall, too. He’s got nice eyes. He’s also strong. And what’s more, he knows how to address a lady.” Seras tosses her pillow at Kate, who dodges with a chuckle, and Zuri hits the girl on the shoulder. The brunette then hugs the teddy bear and says, unaware of the fondness in her own eyes. “There’s only one person I find attractive, and it’s certainly not Alucard,” and added quickly “or Walter.”

After a prolonged pause, Zuri said, “Alright, I’ll take that. Now, speaking of Walter, what’s his birth day?”

Seras, again, is the one who provides the answer. “October 31st.”

“Actually” Kate quickly provides. “Sir Integra was born on the 27th of the same month.”

“They’re both Scorpios!?” Zuri exclaims, fingers fast-typing and eyes following the lines of the texts that popped on the screen of her phone. “Alright, so let me just ask you this since you guys are the only couple I actually care about exploring” Kate looks baffled and embarrassed at the same time, and Zuri suddenly feels the need to explain. “Because she’s my Alpha, and you’re my Alpha’s mate. Anyway, just tell me when you were born so I can do the math.”

Zuri has obviously gotten quite excited about this, and Kate would hate to shut her down with an outdated line like ‘my love life is none of your business’ so that’s why she goes ahead and answers. “October 14th.”

“First of all, you and Seras and I are compatible!” She flails her hands a little, her voice croaking with excitement. “I feel like this is a promise of a long friendship.”

“I certainly hope so!” Seras smiles.

Kate also sheers. “Let’s keep the hope.”

“Now,” forcing herself to calm down, Zuri starts reading off the article. “I’ll start with you.” Kate presses her lips together and nods. “Librans are known for their strong intellect and keen minds. Their planet represents love, femininity and beauty. They love to make people happy, but it might make them feel unaccomplished if this isn’t obtained. They seek harmony, balance and justice in all aspects of life.”

Kate scratches the tip of her nose. “I feel like you’re talking about someone else.”

“So far, it’s true,” Seras said. “You’re quite considerate, and merciful, which is something I haven’t witnessed in a long time. You do try to make us happy, I mean we have meals together now thanks to you.”

Smiling shyly, Kate dips her chin to hide her expression. “Thanks.”

“Get this” –Zuri lifts a hand to warrant them– “according to astrologists, the love Librans hold is their real power.”

As the two start teasing Kate, wooing and whistling, Kate hides her face behind her hands. “Did they say anything about Librans’ desire to beat you two to a pulp?”

“Well, they say that Librans hold a grudge, so I’ll remember to be on your good side” –Kate sticks out her tongue at Zuri– “Librans are good kissers, but they can be noisy when kissing since they moan a lot.”

Scandalized, Kate brings the teddy bear and hits Zuri on the shoulder. “That’s not true!”

“Sorry to burst your bubble but it is.” Seras insists. “I can hear you all the way to the under level basements.”

Speechless, Kate shakes her head in disbelief and embarrassment.

“Okay, moving on. Scorpios,” Zuri starts, “They are intuitive–”

“Very” Seras bobs her head in agreement.

“They’re natural leaders and can be very serious” the three of them nod their heads while listening; it sounds very close to how their master is like. “They’re mysterious and slow starters; it takes a while for them to trust someone” –Kate and Seras’ eyes meet on the fly, but the brunette lowers hers just as quickly– “They’re usually guarded and quiet. They’re one of the smartest zodiac signs.”

Kate breathes out a long breath, leaning to the back and bringing the teddy bear with her. She stops herself after she was about to lie down, and sits up again. Here’s the thing, as Zuri read off the lines, Seras keeps flinging her these looks and it is smothering. Kate is so embarrassed that she literally wants to leave this room.

“However, they can be very cunning, aggressive, with a sharp tongue.” Kate can’t help but snort. It’s very true she doesn’t even believe it! “It’s the most possessive of all signs; and, I quote ‘what’s theirs is only theirs and no one must even lay their eyes on that’. They’re the most wonderful kissers, but they don’t fall in love easily. If they do, however, they start becoming possessive. To make a Scorpio happy, you listen when they’re trying to tell you something and don’t pry when they don’t want to talk about it.”

Kate adds that to her internal notes.

Seras rights her position and asks. “Who’s the most and least compatible with a Scorpio?”

“The most compatible are considered to be Virgo and Capricorns. The least compatible are Leo, and, more often than not, Libras.” Zuri perhaps noticed Kate’s expression falling, so she quickly says “Libras are charming and social butterflies while Scorpios are ballsy and secretive, so that causes them trouble.”

“How do I avoid that?” Kate’s eyes are pleading.

Zuri lifts her phone to her face again. “It says ‘pay close attention to your communication’ you just need to be more understanding. Scorpios tend to hold dominance, sexually and verbally. That can be exhausting to a Libra who values her freedom more than anything. It could also lead to mistrust between you two, but I think the remedy is already there, you guys just need to talk more.” And added “you know what, it’s a well-known fact that Libras and Scorpios are the most passionate and intense in bed, they’re both possessive and obsessive to one another. So make use of that. I mean, if there’s something Librans are known for it’s their creativity in bed. Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day, so, I’m pretty sure you’ll figure something out.”

Kate ponders that for a _long_ moment, until Seras brings her out of her daydreams.

“I see the gears in your head are turning, do I need to buy earplugs?”

Zuri at the side barks a laugh, Kate grabs the teddy bear again and throws it at the vampiress, but since it’s heavy, it lands on the floor.

If only she knew what’s on Kate’s mind!

*******

The sound of the door creaking open stirs her perhaps even more than the see-through lingerie set that she’s donning.

She’s going to do this, despite the fact that Walter almost lost his hair after finding out that Kate had spent over 500£ on something which she refused to tell what it was; although, they probably already made a connection since Kate showed up with her hair styled and makeup on her face. Luckily, he was with Sir Integra when it happened, as the two were heading out of the manor when they met Kate and Katrina at the gate. Kate isn’t sure how he found out but just as she is, he must be keeping tabs on her as well.

Kate remembers leaving him raving on about how money doesn’t fall from the sky, because that money is still not his to moan about, as she tugged on the master’s sleeve from the wrist, edging her to move a little farther from any prying ears.

“What time are you going to be back tonight?”

Sir Integra shrugged casually. “I’ll be back when I’m back.”

Pouting, Kate huddled nearer to her master. “Don’t be like that. I’ve put a lot of effort to make this night special, so I’ll appreciate it if you give me a clear answer.”

Silently, Sir Integra eyed the straightened hair, the Smokey eye makeup and the nail polish, and said. “I’ll be here around ten.”

Flirtatious eyes, that are now adorning longer lashes, smiled at the Alpha. “You’d better.”

Said Alpha made a small noise that resembled a snort before turning to leave.

Now, she’s second-guessing her earlier resolve and fearing what sir Integra’s reaction would be, especially that she didn’t goad Walter earlier about Kate’s negligence or lack of concern for money. What if she had expectation but the real thing disappoints her? There’s no use worrying about this, not when she owes Zuri –Yes, Zuri. The full-figured lady is the only one here who owns a Bluetooth speaker. But since the girl was spending the night late outside, she allowed Kate to borrow it. Not only that, even Seras was asked out by a mysterious man, and, although the people here couldn’t define who it was, Kate knew Luke’s in town. Ian’s unsuccessful love escapades obligated him to night patrol with Alucard, which she scoffs at because it seems like a date enough.

As she’s standing there in the middle of the room with slow, sensual beats sounding out of the portable speaker, Kate watches, with her breath held in, as Sir Integra, who’s come straight to this room after arriving home –if the same garments are good enough to assert that– she walks in and then closes the door after her.

The slightest of changes amidst the melodious silence bespeaks Sir Integra’s surprise, and Kate, she delights a little, because maybe she’s met the expectation, and even more. With that strengthening her resolve again, she walks up to her master, red bottoms click-clocking on the wood flooring.

“What’s this?”

Kate shrugs a shoulder after finally standing before her Alpha, bottom lip sneaking between two rows of teeth, her smile teasing. Instead of stating the obvious, Kate slides her hands up the other’s broad shoulders; the high heels having lifted her close to the master’s collar level. She glides he hands under the lapels of the other’s coat and takes it off. She leads Sir Integra to the armchair, gently pushing her onto it after she flung the heavy item of clothing on the bed.

“I need to clean up first,” Sir Integra said. “I haven’t showered since this morning.”

To be honest, the thought of that excites Kate more than anything else; besides, sweaty Integra is not a concept that Kate would shrink away from. She shakes her head to dismiss the other’s request; doing it like this ought to turn out better than the usual way.

“Permission to use my magic.” Kate demands.

Smirking, Sir Integra says “You never needed it.”

Embarrassed, Kate lowers her smiley eyes, her hair falling on her face but she brushes it behind her ear. “It won’t hurt you.” She promises, as the energy of her magic conjures a shiny rope that binds Sir Integra’s wrists one over the other. They aren’t of a dangerous nature, but they do only listen to Kate’s command. So if Sir Integra is thinking of forcing them apart, she’s got another thing coming.

Kate kneels between her master’s parted knees, her eyes, full of bare adulation, never straying far from Sir Integra’s that are, too, staring back with a deep intensity. She starts by stroking the firm thighs, deliberately slow motions finally coaxing the muscles to relax. The brunette decides to ride the rhythm of the beats so neither the dance would look awkward nor her movements stiff, unhurriedly helps herself up, standing with her legs apart as she sways her hips from side to side at first, hands stroking her breasts. She rolls her hips and lowers down, hands now stroking her own thighs as she gives a brazen reveal of her crotch. The way she usually knows that Sir Integra is excited is by observing her restlessness, like now, for example, how she’s squirming in her seat, legs and tied hands shifting. To drive her Alpha just a little mad, Kate brings a finger to her mouth, lips suckling on it as if she’s sucking on her master’s cock, moaning around it with eyes closed.

More shuffling comes from the other and Kate opens her eyes, takes her finger out and rubs her pussy over the fabric of her panties. She’s already dripping wet, and she wonders if the master can actually smell it. When she decides to stand up again, she palms the master’s knees, using them as leverage to lever up while making sure she juts her ass out in a sexy way. Thing is, with the armoire having mirrors on its door, Sir Integra is having the best of deals watching this from both sides. Kate’s torso performs an impressive wave, her chest grinding on her master’s. She straddles the other’s lap, her hands on the broad shoulders as she rolls her hips again, her head tilting back to present her neck.

Kate can feel Sir Integra getting impatient, wanting to kiss Kate’s neckline and touch her breasts, but the brunette won’t grant any early wishes. This is Kate’s show, and the master must sit there and enjoy it. She feels up the Alpha’s chest, fingers working on unbuttoning the dress shirt to touch the skin underneath, and, from time to time, her eyes meet her Alpha’s that have become so eager.

Good.

Four buttons in and Sir Integra stops Kate’s hands, as if to tell her that nothing is for free, and that if she wishes to touch, she’ll have to let Sir Integra touch as well. Kate challenges that by getting off of the other’s lap entirely; she’ll make her consider compensating Kate for her arrogance. She reels around, sways her hips close to her master’s knees in slow, circular motions, the action forcing the crotch panel of her panties a little inside her rim. Her upper body tilts forward until her hands touch the floor. She can see on the mirror how Sir Integra is thrusting into the air as if it were Kate’s pussy, and so Kate flaunts her curves by squatting, then leaning even lower on her elbows while her ass remains lifted. She flips her hair to the other side so both their reflections are visible to her, and she bounces her hips, picking up momentum until she’s rocking her ass instead. Her heart skyrockets when she sees the master’s bulge only growing, which must feel uncomfortable.

“You’re such a cruel, cruel lady, Kate,” Sir Integra said. “Stop torturing me. Here” –she slides off the armchair with her tied hands reaching out to Kate– “Take these off. I need to move freely now.”

Said girl feels a thrill like never before, realizing that it was her actions that have caused Sir Integra’s patience to finally snap. And just to tease her more, because she can, Kate sits up but holds the same position with her back to her master who’s come up to her now, so close that Kate feels her firm body pressing up against her back, so she flops on it, caressing her own breasts and showing off the column of her neck.

Sir Integra purrs into the presented ear, a hand fondling one of Kate’s ass cheeks. “I want you to grind on my cock.” Honestly, Sir Integra seldom expresses her desires in bed; if she wants something she goes right for it. Kate is almost stupefied to the point of speechless at the worded request. She turns her head to face her master, her eyes looking bewildered. “Come now, let’s take this to bed.”

“Aren’t you enjoying the dance; I’ve been warming up nonstop so as to not snap a joint, but it hasn’t even been ten minutes since I started.”

There’s a hand on hers suddenly that guides it to the turgid cock under Sir Integra’s trousers. “Oh, I’m enjoying this, alright?” She hums into Kate’s ear again, and, using her nose, she forces Kate’s chin up before pressing their lips together.

Kate’s whole body swivels around, lips never breaking the contact. She makes small whining noises into her master’s mouth and it strikes her that Zuri was right; she really is a noisy kisser.

“Undo the bindings.”

“Not a chance.” Kate presses up against Sir Integra’s body, feeling the hard member poking her. “You’re my prey tonight.”

“Then be a little gentler to your prey and undo my zipper.” Sir Integra keeps plastering kisses to Kate’s neck, and even nibbling. “If it fractures then there’ll be no fun for you.”

Sneaking a hand downward, Kate manages to swiftly unbutton and unzip the pants, before standing up like she’s been zapped in the knees. She holds eye contact for a moment, taking in her master’s disheveled hair and clothes and the eager eyes before choosing she hasn’t teased the other enough, hence her decision to head to bed first and wait for a reaction.

The Alpha with the different-colored eyes only sits there for a beat longer, perhaps contemplating her options, before finally deciding to stand up. She squares her shoulders, the feat taking Kate’s mind off of the discomfort the master must be feeling from how hard she is, and then makes her way to the bed.

Kate’s heart only races more, in anticipation and fear. She holds out her hand for her master who places hers in Kate’s, and the girl sits her down on the side of the bed. She fixes her hair behind both her shoulders and kneels again between the other’s legs and, instead of the thighs, her hands go for the stiff cock. She strokes it and massages it and kisses it, showering it with love and affection and care, while making sure Sir Integra is immersed and enjoying it, approving of the girl and her skill that has gotten way, way better.

“Want me to grind on it with my panties off?”

Sir Integra shakes her head. “Keep them on.”

Smirking, her upper body grinds on her master’s in a beautiful arch followed by a smooth slide, and finishes by stealing a kiss that quickly heats up. She forces herself to pull away in order to turn around again, showing her ass.

“That’s it.” Sir Integra praises, her hands already fondling the round meat. “It must be strenuous but try not to sit on it.”

Kate understands what the other wants, and so she obliges. She braces her hands on the master’s knees, lifts her rear a little off the cock and then rolls her hips in, yet again, slow and circular motions. She feels the cock brushing against her rim and entrance, the sensation sending her eyes under her head.

After a long moment and without any spoken warnings, Sir Integra’s voice brittles as she comes, smearing her cum all over Kate’s round ass which has already been slapped a few times. Now tired, Kate attempts to stand up but the master doesn’t allow her, as she slips her tied hands past Kate’s head and cages her in between balky arms.

“We’re not done here.” She murmurs into Kate’s ear, causing the girl to scoff audibly and respond with “you mean _I’m_ not done here; I’m the one who’s been doing all the work.”

To comment on that, Sir Integra simply strokes Kate’s wet panties, and says. “I’d like to have a taste of this now.”

It’s like a silencing spell, the words’ effect is so benumbing that Kate only tips her head forward and remains quiet.

“What’s wrong, embarrassed?” She can probably smell it oozing out of Kate. “You’ve just given me the wildest lap dance I’ve had in a while, but you act like a prude when I mention face-sitting?”

“You’ve had lap dances before?” She’s acting nonchalant about it, voice sounding off a bite of sarcasm, but Kate can’t fight the lump in her throat. This ugly feeling, she doesn’t know where it’s coming from.

A beat of stillness later and Sir Integra purrs into Kate’s ear. “Are you going to act like a jealous girlfriend now?”

“Jealous?” Kate huffs. “Why would I be jealous?”

“Then don’t bring up unnecessary talks; I’d rather eat you out,” Saying so, the master uncages Kate and leans back, pulling the girl with her. “Come on, I need you to grind on my face.”

Unsettled still, Kate chooses to ignore that nasty feeling in the center of her throat and try to enjoy herself. She sidles up to her master’s face, just as requested. On her knees, she aligns the level of her pussy with the other’s mouth, and immediately feels a hot tongue swirling over the wet fabric. The sensation is tantalizing, there’s friction but not rough enough to bring her close to climax. That, however, doesn’t stop her from relishing the feeling. She smiles at the way Sir Integra brings her tied hands to Kate’s breasts, and strokes them diligently. Her tongue showing its skills again, twirling over Kate’s covered clits and causing the girl’s whole body to shiver and tremble.

The hands then stop stroking her, and, instead, they go to Sir Integra’s cock that is slowly rising to the fun, stroking it in rather leisurely manner which excites Kate. So she goes for it, listing forward to take that cock in her mouth.

This is probably the most self-conscious she’s felt during sex ever since they started this weird relationship. Kate is quite ashamed and embarrassed, but also aroused and happy which is why she hasn’t disagreed to any of this. She already said that the point of sex is to feel good, so if she is, then what’s the harm; Sir Integra doesn’t care about aesthetics as long as her cock is given the attention it seeks. With that on mind, Kate’s uneasiness soon slips away and she finds herself sucking the cock with such deep earnest.

It doesn’t take long for Sir Integra to lose her patience, pulling Kate and herself up. She looks zealous and impatient as she says, “Untie me.”

Kate is still in the process of wiping her lips with the back of her fingers when the heated stare stops her. She nods, action faint, and mutters a spell that undoes the bindings. The moment the rope is gone, Kate finds herself being pushed to the bed and mounted.

“The limit.” Kate groans the moment she shifts inside the tub only for her crotch to protest. “Don’t you know what the limit is!”

Pretending not to hear, Sir Integra cuddles up to Kate, whose need to wash the sweat and drool and cum away drove the master to carry her into the bathroom, hence them sitting inside the tub now. Her makeup has smeared all over her face and her hair looks a mess. And to top it off, Sir Integra, in her frenzy, tore Kate’s lingerie set apart even though the girl had gasped what Vicky said about _La Perla’s_ matchless silky underwear. Things calm down suddenly, Sir Integra spooning Kate and nibbling on her earlobe, and, gradually, the two fall into one rhythm, breathing together.

“Thanks.”

Kate prompts up. “Well, I was certain you were going to bring up Lupercalia the moment you saw my outfit, but I’m glad it turned out different.”

The other hums. “Trust me, even if I had a problem with it, your outfit tonight wouldn’t have left room for disagreements.”

“You’re the worst.” Kate doesn’t know how to mask the rapid pulsation of her heart. “I guess now you won’t mind if I ask you to get Walter off my back about the 500£ he almost had a conniption about?”

Her hum deepens. “He knows I don’t have a problem with you spending money on stuff like this. Quite the contrary actually, I think it’s a good investment.”

This time, Kate can’t help but breathe out a chuckle. “Just don’t get ahead of yourself; it took all my willpower to pull this off.”

“Too late, I’ve already prepared a list of things I’d like us to try.”

Kate humors her, even though she knows it could take a while before she considers doing something like tonight. The brunette leans back on her master’s chest, posture slowly relaxing now that her body’s clean again. “Yeah? Things like what?”

“Sex toys. Anal. Public sex. BDSM–”

Kate cuts her off, face reddening. “Never!”

“It could be fun.”

Still shaking her head, Kate says. “Forget about it, I don’t like most of them.”

After a pause, Sir Integra sighs. “Well, eventually,” she said, and added, “Also, don’t wear nail polish again.”

“Why not?”

“It’s got a strong smell.”

Realization hits Kate like a freight train. She shoots up and looks her master in the eyes. “Why didn’t you say anything, why did you endure it?” Of course, since she’s got heightened senses now, it only makes sense that strong smells will cause Sir Integra discomfort. Kate says, calmer now, “You didn’t enjoy that, did you?”

Grunting, Sir Integra also rakes a hand through her wet hair. “I promise that I enjoyed it,” she said. “I just can’t handle pungent odors.” She cups Kate’s cheek. “I appreciate what you did tonight. I had a lot of fun.”

Kate narrows her eyes. “Then why do I feel like you’re about to make a complaint.”

The other chuckles sweetly. “Perhaps because I am,” she said. “Let me explain. I think the makeup was an unnecessary touch; you look pretty without it.”

There’s that unusual heat again that suddenly spreads all the way to Kate’s neck, rendering her speechless. She nods, throat spasms when she gulps.

She receives a peck to her cheek, before Sir Integra levers up to leave the tub, causing disturbance to the water as it splashes on the tiled flooring. “I’m going to wash up first.”

Kate lingers behind, even after Sir Integra exited the bathroom, only because she needed to remove the nail polish and wash away the makeup. After having done all of that, Kate finally wraps her body in a towel and gets out, finding the master sitting on the side of the bed, already changed into a different set of clothing that Kate once insisted remains in her closet since the master stays most of her nights here. She’s holding something in her hand and staring at it with a frown.

“What is it?”

Instead of giving a proper reply to Kate’s query, Sir Integra lifts her chin and says. “That’s the Kate I know. Also, I’ve changed the beddings.”

That’s how Kate knows that something is amiss; subject evading is never a good sign. She tightens her grip on the towels’ knot and approaches the bed, face falling. “It’s quite worrisome for the master of this manor to be doing the house chores, but your expression just now is even more so. Are you going to tell me what’s going on or do you want me to extract it from you by special means?”

“What kind of special means?” The other teases on a smirk.

Kate rolls her eyes, but, still, the look in her eyes after they settled on her master’s is fond. “Is everything okay?”

Sir Integra nods, lowers her head before looking up again, finally showing Kate what’s in her hands: a tassel, with silver long threads and a translucent greenstone pendant etched within a carved silver flower. It looks quite simple, but the jade is definitely valuable. The master says after the long pause, “I’ve had it for a few years now. We were working a shape-shifter case in the South Island of New Zealand when I found it, and it’s stayed with me this whole time that it now means something to me” –Kate eyes the tassel as the story reminds her of what the legend says, about how certain pieces of greenstone choose their wearer, and she smiles up at her master– “I’d like you to have it.”

Kate takes the item and weighs it in her hand, admiring the color and the texture of the smooth jade. Seized by a perplexing clench around her heart, Kate realizes that her sight is blurring, eyes’ duct warming up and getting heavier, and lips trembling that nothing stops their quiver but the bite of her teeth.

“Do you not like it?”

Her clasp on the tassel tightens, before looking up to beam at her master in complete exultation, the captive tears fall down her cheeks. “I’ve received many gifts in my life, friends and family alike; they would send me gifts even if I was in a different part of the world, but never on Valentine’s Day. Never,” she said, now taking her master’s hand and placing the item on it. “But this, I don’t dare take. It belongs to you. It chose you. For me to take it would mean bad luck to both of us as it would anger your guardian spirit” –Sir Integra scowls at Kate’s hands that are closing hers on the tassel– “Even if you don’t believe in that, it’s fine.” She blows a small sigh. “Sir, you’ve given me everything I’ve ever wanted and needed. I don’t need more. The fact that you’re here tonight, in this room, means everything to me.”

Silently, Sir Integra eyes the tassel for a beat before placing it on the nightstand beside the portable speaker that has gone silent, which means it was turned off by the master. Facing Kate now, she says. “Were you talking about tutelary deities?”

Kate removes the towel, setting it aside on the edge of the bed, before getting on the bed as well. “I once tried to purchase a piece of greenstone because I needed it for a spell, but my friend there advised against it. He said that certain pieces of greenstone, especially those that get magicked, they have their own spirit. If they don’t choose you then it’s ominous to carve a piece for yourself.”

Sir Integra gets comfortable behind Kate, pressing up against the girl and bringing her even closer with the arm draped over Kate’s middle. “Does that mean I have my own imaginary friend?”

Kate laughs, placing her hand over the other’s and twining their fingers together. The warm breath fanning on the long stretch of her neck is truly comforting that she can’t help but moan. “You can say that.”

“Is it possible to ask it to do things for me, like taking care of the paper work?”

“That’s disrespectful to these ancient spirits!” Kate exclaimed, now spinning her head to face the master. “If you want it to do your work while you take care of me, however, then I might have an idea.”

The other’s lips capture hers, kissing and sucking and pressing, causing Kate to completely melt, whining into the kiss and sighing. Sir Integra pulls away enough to say. “I don’t need help to take of you.”

Kate is a goner. She's helplessly, irrevocably and unconditionally in love. “You’re not wrong.” She gasps, now pulling her master in for another kiss, and never complaining about the other’s hand that is now wandering over her thighs…


	8. The Start of the Descent

When he straddled her, killing wasn’t his intent. Although Kate probed the floor for the weapon she had forsaken in her fall, killing wasn’t her intent, either.

It is true that, when Seras shouted at Kate to watch out for her attacker, the girl feared the half-vampire would kill her, or try to turn her, but when his voice, disembodied but anxious, penetrated her head, she knew she was no longer in danger. Kate remembers the fear in his eyes as he growled at her and the worry in his voice as he pleaded with her. She remembers not having a wink of sleep that night, replaying his words and, bit by bit, falling into an endless abyss of doubts.

_“We told you we knew nothing about the priest’s plan, why do we have to die!” He had roared in Kate’s head. “We’ve never hurt anyone. Never taken anyone’s blood, so why do you hunt us, now that Father Jolly is dead?”_

_Kate had only struggled against his fangs, staring at him with eyes so horrified._

_“You kill us, whether we’ve done something or not. You don’t leave us in peace despite the fact we’ve chosen seclusion. Tell me, now, who’s the real villain?” He had demanded. “Who is?”_

_Then Luke’s hand latched onto him and those words had been the last thing he’d spoken…_

Kate’s spent the last couple of months pondering this, questioning her past decision; what if some of those she confined underground were as innocent as they said they were? What if Sir Integra, in her obsession to eradicate evil, has swerved her principals for mere revenge? Kate can’t be held accountable for someone’s death. That’s not a burden one would just carry and expect to have a normal life. Not with the Vedmak’s words coming back to haunt her, reminding her of the real enemy they must erase. Luke said that Father Jolly had been creating an army of monsters for a bigger purpose, just like the Vedmak’s. Yes, indeed, Sir Integra had reproached Seras and Kate for not leaving any half-vampires alive to interrogate, but the two girls reasoned that everything had happened so fast.

Months after the incident, now Kate wonders if father Jolly created the army for the Vedmak, what if, and she knows how crazy this sounds, but what if he’s the head of the so-called organization? He’s already shown impressive skills, his command over his powers exceeded even Kate’s. He’s more powerful than any Warlock she’s seen before. So it isn’t an impossible scenario.

Things have been quiet, so to speak, which, after hearing about the grand plan and the Vedmak’s organization, is largely worrisome to Kate. She remembers Zuri and Ian being sent to that case the full-figured lady had brought up that time at dinner, and it turning out to be a poltergeist avenging its violent death. The case had taken them more time than was ideally required, but they’d vouched to get better. Kate was only grateful she wasn’t sent with them because she hates ghosts.

“Add more momentum to your attacks!” Alucard’s voice rumbles in the vast Gun Room, a little guiding but admonishing at the same time. “Control your speed better.”

Ian glances over at him and back at the magic practitioner, eyes wide and vigilant.

The training started with Kate deciding for a completely different trick than the last time; clones are too predictable at this point. Besides, Zuri has already figured a way to tell them apart from the real caster, and has informed her pack members. It’s safe to say that Kate was almost placed in a tough spot.

This time, Kate uses her blood, spilling it all over the room around the same time she kept zapping herself to different spots to dodge their attacks; while the rest thought she was using it to cast random spells of attack like the fire balls and the bolts of electricity she tricked them with, she was actually building up to a bigger attack.

Now, Kate smiles at them from outside the barrier she put so much effort into creating, looking smug at having finally barricaded the three betas inside.

“What’s this?” Seras asks, her hands pawing at the barrier’s shining texture. Although it’s transparent, it is still solid enough to keep them all in.

Zuri mimics her action, her fingertips rubbing the wall. “It’s some sort of barrier” looking at Kate now, she adds, “You’ve casted this barrier before, haven’t you, while we fought during that full moon night?”

The brunette acknowledges Zuri’s perception, and nods to show it to her. “You see, when it comes to magic practitioners, creating barriers and all may come easy, but a lot of us prefer summoning spells,” she starts, and then asks the King of Vampires “I’m going to up the challenge a little bit, would that be a problem?”

Alucard keeps a neutral expression plastered on, not wanting to give away his feelings to his arch-enemy. “Don’t harm them.”

“I can’t promise you anything,” Kate said. “If I summon something, it’s up to them to defeat it together. Whether it hurts them in the process or not, is not something I can control.”

The man faces her, eyes piercing. “If I give you an instruction, you follow it to the letter.”

“You only send, you never receive, Al.” Kate hums, “Or, perhaps, your brain’s become too muddled with all the blood you gurgle like a giant leach.”

Immediately, the vampire takes out his silver guns, each in a hand. “You’ve become too familiar with me, witch.”

Never faltering, Kate arches a brow at him. “Your little grudge is starting to become annoying. Here we are, training the pack in a mission given to both of us from the same person, but you still manage to make it look like you’re the one in control here.”

“You seek control but you won’t have it,” Alucard seethes, but he still lowers his weapons. “No matter how many times you suck Integra’s cock.”

No, keep the gun pointed at Kate; she will be happy to take him on only to wipe the floor with him. “Oh, I see” an idea so sinister crosses Kate’s mind; if Alucard is taking this approach, then he’d better be prepared for the consequences. “My! So it’s indeed about her cock; are you jealous that I beat you to it first?”

He lifts the guns again, action swift and smooth, and cocks them. “Don’t push it.”

“You’re dumb as a fox, Alucard.” Kate scoffs, “Always creating a drama about what a vile witch I am, when it’s actually just you throwing a tantrum that you didn’t get to be dicked by your dear master.”

The resonation of the gunshot is so loud that Kate thinks something as heavy as an anvil fell from the sky; she only realizes that she’s been shot when she feels tendrils of her magic beating with a furious heat. Thankfully, the bullet didn’t penetrate her as those tendrils have managed to protect her.

“Did I strike a nerve?” Kate hums, lips smirking; this is amazing! Alucard is losing his mind at last, and it’s happening right in front of the pack. Although, Kate needs to remember that the point of training the pack is so that they also cultivate the sense of unity in them, but Alucard doesn’t care and Kate would rather give the people something worthwhile to watch than ease things up for this guy’s sake. “Or is it actually because hers is bigger than yours?”

In his rage, Alucard summons his familiar, but it doesn’t scare Kate, even with its daunting eyes and mandibles. It launches its attack, exhibiting marvelous speed which Kate knows her magic can surpass; how truly tremendous would it be if she managed to kick his ass without having to deactivate the seal!

“You don’t scare me.” Kate deadpans.

“I wouldn’t tell myself otherwise; after all, your blood is capable of wonders. But that’s the limit of your powers, once I drink every last drip, you’d be an empty shell.” Alucard said.

“Eager, aren’t you, that or you’ve got a serious case of sexual frustration” Kate mocks, now muttering a spell which Alucard waits out like the show-off that he is. She summons twisty vines that dig their way up from the ground, breaking the tiles and coiling around Alucard’s feet. He doesn’t recoil, only stands there to see what they’re going to do to him. Kate knows he can turn himself to mist and the vines would find nothing to wrap themselves around, which is why she wills them to release their sedative sap. If something comes in contact with that juice with their bare skin, the effect will be immediate.

Unable to wait any longer, the vampire shoots their main cones, his accuracy as deadly as ever. The vines break, causing the fluids to ooze out.

“You can do better than that.” He tells Kate, beautiful golden eyes shining.

She can, she just doesn’t want to; otherwise, she’ll have to sacrifice more blood and she’s already done so during the training. Consumed by her thoughts, Kate doesn’t realize Alucard’s familiar attacking, its jaws open and baring razor-sharp teeth. The tendrils shoot forward to protect her, but the Hellhound’s speed gives its attack more drive, causing the tendrils to rebound upon collision. The familiar barks in celebration, deep noises that almost freeze Kate to the spot. But she isn’t going to just stand there and wait to be gnawed at like a chew toy. Just as fast, a barrier is created and the familiar crashes against it. The moment the dog falls, the barrier breaks.

Too bad Kate isn’t a barrier master; otherwise, this thing would be caged eternally.

Instead of figuring out how to break free from the barrier they’re caged inside, the pack seizes the chance to watch the fight, and even drop a comment here and there, as if that’s what anyone needed. Kate shakes her head sadly, and mutters the rest of the first spell. So while Alucard gets ready to launch his attack, the vines on the ground dwindle and grow decayed, falling into their earlier-produced nectar.

There’s a vibrating laugh, coming from the deepest parts of Alucard’s chest, but, soon, he tosses his head to the back and the laugh thunders…

“Very well, witch!” he elates. “Let’s have it!”

Alucard’s whole body deforms, several appendages elongating out of his chest. The familiar is no longer in sight which tells Kate it has already fused with its master’s body, gifting its myriad of eyes to the thing Alucard just turned himself into. Kate gets no chance to finish her spell as that spider-like creature raises its front legs and starts chasing her around, and while she teleports herself to different places inside the room to keep from getting caught, she notices the vines’ crumbs forming cocoons. The spider hisses suddenly, spitting its venom-laced silk in liquid form, but the moment it lands on Kate’s arm, it congeals, immobilizing her to the spot.

Honestly, Kate thought the liquid wouldn’t hurt her, but she is surprised and angered at the same time to find that it’s managed to eat through the fabric of her cat-suit, barely getting to her skin and she has the suit to thank for that; it is made from magic, after all.

“You’re a real pest, Al, anybody told you that before?” Saying so, Kate chooses to cast fire balls as she waits for the pupas to open; those damn flying things are taking forever to emerge.

The giant spider-like creature lunges forward again, giving her no break to think. It spits its venom several times to different angles in hopes to hit Kate, but the girl is quite flexible when it comes to moving around using the help of her magic.

The chrysalises grow in size bit by bit, until Alucard can’t ignore them anymore. To keep him from destroying them, however, Kate summons the Fire Spirit; that thing is always angling for a fight so, now, Kate tells him to go at it. Turn out, Alucard isn’t very fond of flames as the Fire Spirit’s heavy attack leads him to retreat and change forms, but it’s too late. The three cocoons burst open, and, since the pack is protected by the barrier and only Alucard and Kate are occupying the rest of the Gun Room, the girl concludes it’s safe to unleash what’s inside the cocoons.

At first, it’s Ian who exclaims, saying “That’s a huge fucking butterfly!”

“It looks like a chubby ringlet,” Zuri comments.

Kate has spent a lot to get these guys to emerge from their cocoons, calling them butterflies now is unacceptable. She whips around to face Ian, face set in hard lines. “They’re moths, you moron.”

“What, has this become an insectarium now?” Ian huffs.

Ignoring him, because Ian is just another moronic version of Alucard, Kate looks at the older vampire with a satisfied grin “It’s pointless,” she says to stop him mid-attack; he’s managed to weaken the Fire Spirit and Kate recognizes his strength with just that, but it stops here. “Those moths, they aren’t a decoration. You see, it takes a lot of time and patience to summon these guys, but it’s worth the effort, to be honest.” Alucard returns to his real form in complete silence, now eying the flying moths. “Throughout history, moths have always been viewed as symbols of death, but what you need to know about these little guys is that they have the power of Curse Manipulation, and not even a dead thing like you can escape the effect.”

In response, Alucard raises his hands, the guns going up with him. “Is that supposed to stop me from kicking your ass?”

“You think I was tickling you with those vines from earlier?” Kate’s eyes are bugging out; how much is he going to continue belittling her! “Fine, since you insist on being a jerk, I shall treat you like one.”

What he doesn’t know, is that these three moths haven’t completed the Metamorphosis stage yet. Usually, the three combine together, bringing The Black Witch Moth to life. That beautiful lady; she’d put a scum like Alucard in place.

Paying no heed to her warning, the Vampire shoots at the moths, hitting all of them, which activates the effect of the Curse Manipulation: the sap that leaked out earlier on Alucard’s legs solidifies, bringing his attention at last to what he’s started. The moths’ blood accumulates in one place, creating a small pond at Alucard’s feet, and while he tries to jump away, the blood latches at him. He goes to mist himself away, but he finds that he can’t.

“What’s this?!” He grits out. “What have you done?”

“What’s going on here?”

Kate refrains from answering Alucard, just to annoy him, and looks behind at the two entering the room, Sir Integra and Walter. Letting out a heavy sigh, Kate straightens up, squaring her shoulders and lifting up her jaw.

“Sir,” she said.

Said master eyes what came of the room; the mess of blood, vines and sap, and broken tile pieces, as well as venom-laced silk blotches everywhere. She returns her eyes to Alucard, and the state of worry he’s in, and then she looks at the pack members that are still kept inside the barrier; before finally turning to face Kate. “What do you think you’re doing to my people?”

Oh, it looks like that!

Kate’s confident posture starts to crumble as she looks from the mess they’ve made and back at her master. “Um, I can explain this.” Just as the words leave her lips, Alucard falls to the ground, body poised motionless from the curse. Kate quickly tacks on “I can explain that!”

“And that’s basically it”

Kate is done relaying the events that took place here with added commentary from that pack that, for some reason, still remains enwrapped by the barrier. Sir Integra has listened to the story with furrowed brows, but they eventually unwind when she learns that Kate isn’t the only one to blame for the mess.

Motioning at Alucard, the master asks “So what is going to happen to him now?”

The brunette follows the direction, her eyes landing on Alucard’s hunched posture; he’s managed to sit down but he couldn’t possibly mask the tense expression from his face. Although his powers were able to overcome the moths’ curse somehow, everyone can still see that it’s taken a toll on him. She shrugs and says “I don’t know, and I don’t care.”

“You’ll have to rephrase that, I’m afraid,” Sir Integra said. “I need to know if he isn’t incapacitated in any way.”

 _He might be impotent_ , Kate would love to say, but she knows the master isn’t in a gaming mood. “I’ve only used this spell once, and the thing the moths cursed at that time soon died from its own venom. I doubt the same thing will happen; he’s stronger than I thought.”

“Damn right I am.” The vampire’s deep voice resonates inside Kate’s ears. With evident strain, he forces himself up to his long legs, and then sneers at Kate. “Your mere acts of witchery are no match to my powers. I’m superior, in every way.”

Offended by his arrogance and exaggerated self-confidence, Kate contorts her nose and dares “Superior? Don’t make me laugh!” She seethes, “you drink blood to sustain survival, without it, you’re just a useless puppy.”

“That may be so,” he steps forward, thus blocking the light from reaching Kate. “But I was roused to serve the Hellsing family, while a witch like you remains a plaything. That’s all you are, and that’s all you’re ever going to be to my master.”

This time, the words manage to infuriate her; what’s more, it upsets her that Sir Integra doesn’t correct him. Kate summons the Fire Spirit again, and since it feeds on her anger, the spirit’s flames are huge and scorching hot. Fine, then, Kate can play dirty, too!

Alucard lifts his guns again, ready to fire away.

“That’s enough you two” Sir Integra’s voice drawls, fingers rubbing the point between her eyes. “If you’re done quarreling, I’d like to discuss the new case. Undo the barrier, Kate.”

The flames recede very slowly, but they don’t go out. Kate takes her time to answer her master’s demand. “It’s taken me a lot to create the barrier, you can’t just ask me to remove it.”

“I wasn’t asking,” Sir Integra deadpans, her hand now returning to the side pocket of her pants like its twin. “A new case has emerged, two people have been found eviscerated in Alfriston village. I’ve been contacted to send reinforcement, and I was originally thinking of sending Seras, Zuri and Alucard, but” –she faces Kate with her chin jutting towards the crumbs of the cocoons– “you should go with him instead.”

Kate’s been drinking water from the same source, so she doesn’t understand where this deeply-rooted egotism in the master and her dog is coming from. Just to show them that she’s not a dog like him, and, also, to get back to her master for not standing up for her, Kate wills the flames to snap out, before ignoring her master completely and making her to the barrier. “Thanks, but no thanks.” She enters the barrier, reels her head to look at Sir Integra whose face has become marred with more scowling line. “I came to this room to train the pack. Because Seras asked me nicely, that’s what I’m going to do. I’m sorry about those people who died, but I think Alucard, since he thinks himself so superior, he can handle it on his own. I’ll stay here.” Saying so, she faces the pack members again and nods. “Let’s finish what we started.”

Zuri’s hand darts to Kate’s, eyes widening to unbelievable proportions. “Kate, let’s call it quits for today. Just do what Sir Integra says.”

It’s understandable if she’s getting anxious; whatever chemical signals she’s receiving from the master might be causing her distress, especially when she’s a beta who values pack ranks. But they need to understand that certain things can’t be forgiven. It’s true that Kate signed a contract, but she was also promised a different –and a better– treatment back in Älvdalen; what she experienced here today is anything but.

“Those who want to quit the training, you may leave.” Kate announces after dimming the intensity of the barrier, but she’s honestly a little disappointed that both Zuri and Ian wish to exit. She allows them to, staying behind with Seras. “We can still train if it’s just the two of us.”

She is met with a smile, serene yet sorrowful, and that’s how Kate realizes that even Seras wishes to leave as well; it’s beyond logical, Seras was the one who set up the training, asking Kate to train them and all, Kate doesn’t understand why she’s the one being made irrational for choosing to finish the training. She twists her lips, nodding in understanding.

“Kate, it’s just–”

Said girl cuts her off. “You don’t have to explain anything,” Kate said, “It can’t be helped, right? People need saving.” She lets out a heavy sigh, uttering the spell that causes the barrier to dwindle bit by bit, shrinking into nothing. “Go ahead.”

Sir Integra still insists on her earlier choice. “You’re going with Alucard.”

Choosing to ignore her again, because that’s the best course of action right now, otherwise Kate will start turning them into frogs; Kate changes her clothes back to what she was wearing earlier, and then she makes her way to the door.

“Ignoring me isn’t how you can solve this,” Sir Integra said, voice and posture stoic.

Kate almost falters, almost turns around to be the bigger person and apologize, but these guys already think that people are their pawns and they can move them however they want, apologizing will only prove them right and thus boost their ego. Consequently, Kate chooses to keep on walking, and she doesn’t stop even when she’s outside the Gun Room.

She was coerced to sign the contract, and that’s what Alucard’s blood-addled brain can’t fathom. As for the pack, she’s already used to Ian’s treatment, but she expected something different from the girls. Ah, Kate knows she’s being a little melodramatic; going on a case to save people or staying behind to train, of course anyone would choose to go. Besides, the training is carried out so saving is achieved afterwards, that’s what this is all about. She just can’t help but feel wronged.

She said things, yes, but Alucard has maligned her in every given chance. Although he thinks nothing of it, but Kate knows it will affect the people they know, one way or another, it–

“What do you think you’re doing, ignoring me like that in front of my people!?”

The girl looks up from the hand on her arm and at her master through eyes heavy with tears. “Let go...”

“Explain” Sir Integra demands; to be true, the master coming after Kate was not an expected scenario, so this kind of gives the girl some hope.

“I’m not going with him. I don’t want to.” Although she sounded resigned just a moment ago, but her resolve has strengthened now. “I don’t want to work any cases with him.”

“The decision has been made,” Sir Integra said. “Both your actions have compromised the pack and caused delay in our schedule. Pairing you with him is going to be beneficial to all of us, as you two are ought to realize your mistakes and correct them, as well as overcome your differences.”

Kate looks like she isn’t even listening, as though in a completely instinctual state of rebellion; raking a hand through her hair and rubbing her nose by the back of her wrist. “I’m not going” –the hand on her elbow clenches and Kate rages– “You can do whatever you want to me, call for Judge again even, I don’t care, but I’m not working with that freak, not for you, and not for anyone else’s sake, you understand me?” –the hand unclenches and releases her at last– “You heard him,” Kate starts, lowering her head and voice, not because of fear, but because the situation is so heavy with tension that she feels its weight. “It’s not the first time that Alucard and I butt heads like that, but he always brings you up and it always ends with a bigger fight. And, honestly, I can’t keep doing that; I can’t keep fighting for someone who doesn’t even care if I’m called a whore in front of all the pack members.”

“Is that what you think?”

“It’s not what I think,” Kate said, now looking deeply into her master’s blank eyes. “The very reason why the argument broke out into a real fight is because that dog is never put in place by his owner.”

“Alucard may be my servant, but he isn’t a property; I can’t control what he says.”

This circumstance has peeled the paint off the wall of lies that Kate built her world of make-believe of, showing her the truth that has always been obvious but too bright for Kate to look at: Back in the Gun Room, nobody raised their hackles when Alucard called Kate a plaything or a whore, now, the master herself is getting offended on Al’s behalf because Kate has gone out and asked that the vampire be disciplined a little.

“Understood.” Kate nodded with fake resolve. “Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

With that, she leaves the scene.


	9. The Witch With an Agenda - Part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: This deals with child kidnapping, cannibalism, gore and canon-typical violence.

That was a new thing for her, sulking her way out of a mission like a child faking their sickness, and avoiding punishment despite whatever the contract stated about Compliance, Conformity and Obedience. Besides, Alucard never tires of bragging about his strength and the power he encompasses, so Kate doubts he had a problem with solving that ghoul case by himself. Well, not entirely by himself; he was accompanied by Ian and Zuri, and they were indeed successful in eliminating the ghoul that had been terrorizing Alfriston.

Like the still waters inside a pond, the past few days have been rather calm. Sir Integra has been acting as though Kate is the one in the wrong, and Kate has been acting like Sir Integra is the one in the wrong, therefore, she has been keeping herself occupied, going out with Katrina, sometimes with both Katrina and Fajr. Although it seemed like she was in the way of their dates, Kate knew to give them their space while she enjoyed the few hours of freedom.

The only thing that actually wreaked real havoc in the Hellsing headquarters was Sir Integra, as well as Zuri, waking up on the fourth of April to find that their werewolfic counterparts were gone.

It’s not like they didn’t know it was going to happen; Zuri had foreseen it the day astronomers brought up the Passover, and had informed the master, who had already had plans ready to lock herself in the dungeons again, that the change wouldn’t even come to pass.

Beside it being Easter, April 4th also marks the first of a series of lunar eclipses; the news had talked about a Micromoon all day, but Kate, along with the others, never imagined that it would physically affect the two Werewolves.

With Katrina always finding it such a task to wake Kate up every morning, that particular day she’s found it easy as she simply said, “wake up. Something odd is going on with Sir Hellsing!”

Kate runs to the master’s office after inquiring around, finding her at last sitting at her desk, Walter standing there beside her like a vase, with Zuri, Ian and Seras hogging the sofas. She eyes her master’s face that’s no longer marred with odd patterns and patches, her hair that has regained its golden shine and her eyes that have got the blue hues back in them.

“How did this happen?” She asks, making her way to the desk, her eyes searching Sir Integra up and down.

“Like I said, I’ve lived through several experiences like this before,” Zuri said. “During the entirety of a lunar eclipse, I’d lose all my werewolf powers, but only temporarily. I’d regain them back as soon as the sun rises.”

“Aha.” Kate notes that with a distracted nod, and then looks over at Sir Integra; it’s been a while since they talked, and Kate’s brain is still trying to reacquaint itself with the familiarity. “D –do you feel different?”

The master shakes her head faintly, now lighting a cigar and remaining wordless. As the pack shares bits and pieces of their opinions, Kate fears what kind of ideas the incident might be giving their master; she feels that Sir Integra’s silence is different, almost warranting, and that the look in her eyes has changed. Although Kate has promised not to overthink it, but a part of her can’t help but presume the master is angry knowing that the state of humanness isn’t permanent.

“Today’s lunar eclipse” –Sir Integra starts, and the chatting quiets down immediately– “they say it’s a part of a series of eclipses whose tetrad will appear on September 28th.”

There it is…

Kate shrugs, pretending not to get what the other is insinuating; in a way, she really doesn’t understand what the other is angling for, so it kind of helps her pretense. “That’s interesting.”

“Do you know what’s more interesting?” Sir Integra drones, more smoke clouds wafting before her, like a viper slithering before launching an attack. “I even heard that a restoration of full humanity through magic may be possible during the Super Blood Moon.”

“This is the first time I’m hearing this,” Kate defends.

“Actually,” Zuri now chimes in, “If I remember correctly, George talked about it a lot of times. He’d always bring up this topic during lunar eclipses, about how magic can make the humanness permanent.”

Flicking her eyes from Zuri and to the master, and then back at Zuri again, Kate can’t help but scoff humorlessly. “I think you’ve got me mixed up with someone else; I wasn’t the one who created the universe in seven day,” she adds, “The last time there was a lunar month, I wasn’t even born yet.”

“Late 11th centuries marked the last existence of any Scandinavian warrior, yet you managed to summon one only recently,” Sir Integra crunches the end of her cigar on the ashtray, and says, “Everyone witnessed the Metamorphosis of the Moths you brought to life. And we’re all familiar with the Fire Spirit you summon from time to time.”

Kate knows this isn’t the time for her jokes, but she can’t help but feel that the way Sir Integra put it makes Kate look like a god.

“With all that power at your disposal, do you really want me to believe that you don’t know how to secure lasting humanness?”

Speaking of jokes, Sir Integra’s resilience is not funny.

The cloud of smoke doesn’t completely dispel but it grows tawny and, through the fissures, Kate’s eyes land on her master’s, and Sir Integra’s eyes look piercing. “Oh, I get it,” Kate hums. “You think I knew, I just didn’t want to tell you.”

The ensuing silence can be interpreted as a lot of things, but Kate tries her best not to jump the gun here. She knows how very little Sir Integra trusts people, especially those who cause her harm, so the brunette keeps a calm face, and gives a bland smile.

“Look,” she starts, “even if it’s true, I need time. I need to ask around and see if someone knows something about this, but since word travels fast in the magic community, most practitioners think I was the one who caused the incident, so I doubt anyone would want to help,” To put it more bluntly, if she asks the wrong person, someone who rejoiced at the news of Integra Hellsing being cursed like the Vedmak, they wouldn’t help Kate because that would mean helping the master. Worrying the inside of her cheek between her teeth, Kate hums, and then says, “There is someone I can ask, though, but it’s not guaranteed.”

“Who is that?” Sir Integra demands. “Is it someone you work for?”

With face crinkling in distaste, Kate sighs. “What, no, it’s not like that.” She’s never talked to them about her Imugi, so, now, she really does not know how to proceed. “Even if I tell you, you wouldn’t understand.”

“Try us.” Seras deadpans.

“Mm, it’s complicated,” Kate tells her.

“That sounds quite contradictory, wouldn’t you say?” Walter said. “So does this mean that this mysterious ‘someone’ works for you?”

Kate snorts in laughter at the old man’s perceptiveness; it’s no wonder he’s Sir Integra’s most trusted employee. He is quick to decode hints and fast to act. He is remarkable like that. “You can say that.” Gertrude won’t like this one bit!

Although remaining quiet, Sir Integra’s nose flares which gives away her fury. “Kate, what else are you hiding from me?”

Said girl doesn’t share the other’s worry as she sends her an amused smile. “What, I’m not allowed to keep some things to myself, now?” After a poignant pause where their eyes roamed in each other, “Even if I explain it, I doubt it’d make sense to you. You always demand for proofs and witnesses, and I don’t want to make that much effort knowing you might not even believe me” and tacks on, “I mean, it wouldn’t be the first time.”

A creak and a high pitched voice sound from the far side of the office, bringing the pack’s talk to a stop. Kate, who is ensconced between Seras and the pillows, watches as two women enter the room, accompanied by a soldier in his official uniform.

“Lady Elizabeth and Lady Meredith!” Walter exclaims, now scurrying to their direction, his hand already motioning to the soldier to leave.

Except for Seras, the pack members exchange looks before looking back at the new guests, taking in their resemblance despite the fact that one of them is slightly taller than the other one, which could mean they’re blood-related; sisters, perhaps?

They both have got blond hair and sea-blue eyes, one of them is wearing a long-sleeved wrap dress and has her hair dangling down her shoulders, and the other one is dressed in a long reefer coat and short boots. All in black.

“Liz?” Sir Integra lifts off of her chair, making her way to the taller woman, kindly taking her hand and giving it a kiss. ““We haven’t been informed of your arrival; I apologize for the lack of a welcome.”

The lady, Elizabeth, Kate is guessing, shakes her head and flourishes with a smile. “We rushed here because it’s an emergency.”

Sir Integra’s frown deepens. “What’s the matter?”

Elizabeth looks over at the other woman, and, now that Kate takes a closer look at her, she can see the puffy, red eyes and the red nose; she must have spent the entire day crying. “My sister Meredith,” she starts, “her son has been taken.”

The two sisters are seated where Kate and Seras were sitting, and, from time to time, Meredith uses the satin handkerchief in her hand to wipe her nose, while her sister holds her other hand and encourages her to tell them what happened.

“Yesterday, I brought Mark to his grandmother’s, Mrs. Penwood, and we stayed the night,” she starts, sniffling between the words. “We didn’t know about his disappearance until this morning when his caretaker didn’t find him in his room. We searched all the places that he likes, but we couldn’t find him anywhere.” Her words are overcome by more tears, but her sister keeps muttering assurances into her ear to calm her, which works. “My husband has been informed, and he’s on his way back to London.”

“Sir Penwood is the one who told us seek you,” Elizabeth says, now looking up at Sir Integra. “He watched the recordings from the surveillance cameras and knew that something took my nephew.”

“Something?” the master echoes, darkly.

Apparently, 'something' is an option now.

The lady nods, rummages inside her pocket and finally takes out a USB flash drive. “Here,” she hands it over to Walter who is closer, and says, “You’ll understand if you watch this.”

Without having to be told to, Walter inserts the USB into the laptop which Sir Integra uses for work, and carries it back to her. Sir Integra has, at some pointed, seated herself next to Kate across the sofa the two sisters are occupying, and now she places the offered laptop on the coffee table for all the pack members to look at.

The video starts, and it shows Mark, who looks to be around six or seven years old, sleeping in his bed without a fuss. Hours into the night, a dark-looking rift opens up at the edge of his bed, and two naked and almost bony arms sneak out of it, clutching around the boy’s ankles and then swiftly dragging him into the rift that closes just as quickly.

While Seras and Zuri gasp, Ian and Kate remain quiet, too shocked to say anything.

As though in disbelief, the master replays the video again and again, before finally looking up. “What in the world is that thing?”

“Please don’t tell me you don’t know either,” Elizabeth beseeches. “We’ve come here because my brother-in-law trusts you, and because _I_ trust you as well. My sister needs your help. You have to help us.”

Sir Integra licks the corner of her lips, as though barely registering what’s being said, and that tells Kate the master is thinking. It still feels uncanny, the way Elizabeth and Sir Integra look at each other. To branch out even more on this, the two of them must be too close for Sir Integra to call the lady ‘Liz’ and for Elizabeth to speak informally.

The master looks at her laptop screen again, replays the video albeit slower this time, and scrutinizes every frame. Kate huddles closer to her so that their sides are touching; on one hand she needed to get closer to take a better look, and, on the other, she needs the other lady to back off.

“Stop!” Kate yells. “Go back a little.”

The rest of the pack members are looking over Kate’s shoulders, so when she yells for the master to pause the video, they peer at the screen to see what the image paused at.

“Is that a tattoo?” Ian asks, eyes narrowing to try and discern what the mark on the arm is.

Kate looks at her Alpha, her voice lowering into a whisper. “Can you zoom in on it? We need to see what it is.”

Clicking a few commands, the master starts a zooming pan that multiplies the size of the image, and a few other clicks remove the static, showing the mark on the arm quite clearly.

As the others peer into it to try to tell what it is, Kate only shuts her eyes closed in defeat.

Perhaps prompted by how Kate’s expression fell, Sir Integra asks, “Do you know what this is?”

The girl tips her chin down and says, “Yes, I know what it is.” She wishes she didn’t! Looking over at Lady Elizabeth and her sister, Kate implores, “Could you please wait outside, I’m sure Walter won’t mind leading you to one of the living-rooms.”

The pair of siblings shares a gloomy look before staring back at Kate. Lady Meredith says, “If it’s no problem, I’d like to stay.”

“I don’t want you to hear what I’m about to say,” Kate explains, hoping the foreboding words would drive the woman away.

Somehow, Lady Elizabeth interjects to say “If my sister doesn’t want to leave, then she won’t.”

“It’s alright for them to stay if that’s what they want,” Sir Integra said, leaning back with her arm outstretching on the backrest and behind Kate’s head, the other on her lap.

Kate glowers at her and grits out. “I’m doing this for her, so don’t get in my way.”

“What you can do for me is tell me what took my son.”

Kate beholds the woman’s determined eyes for a moment, before sagging with a sigh. Well, she can’t say she didn’t warn them.

Against herself, Kate expands on what the tattoo means. “It’s a rune,” she starts after exhaling deeply. “It symbolizes the dark arts of the Old Religion.”

“We’re dealing with a witch?” Zuri prompts

Kate winces and rakes a nervous hand through her hair. “Not just one, we’re dealing with a coven of them.”

“What does it matter if it’s more than one, all of you witches are the same!” Ian is annoyed at the situation, which could explain his rotten words.

“That specific rune has been in the use of witches for centuries, it’s like a cult whose members resort to secret symbols and types of imagery,” Kate still expands on this even knowing that, by the end of it, the mother is going to be distraught by the truth. “This is used by a coven that is usually run by more than four witches.”

“That part I can understand,” Lady Meredith said. “By why did they take my son?”

“You see, it’s quite possible that your son wasn’t the only who’s been kidnapped last night,” Kate said. “These witches they appear once every thirty three years, especially during the Passover, to kidnap little kids.”

“Why do they take children?” Lady Elizabeth demands, eyes bogging out with rage.

“I’ll tell you, but just remember that I warned you beforehand and gave you a chance to leave and not hear this,” Kate reminds. “The coven needs a source of nourishment, so to speak. The witches use the kids as a means of sustaining survival.”

“What does that mean?” Elizabeth asks, and then her sister bellows when no answer came. “What do you mean by sustain survival, what happened to my son?!”

Unable to handle the reproach and the accusation in the other’s tone, Kate looks away. “I’m sorry.”

There’s a deafening pause, suddenly, that encroaches everything and everyone, forbidding and ominous, that times itself becomes frozen as several pairs of eyes remain on Kate’s, before Meredith levers up to her shaking legs. Although Elizabeth calls her out, the woman looks too caught up on getting to Kate to actually hear her.

“A –are you saying that my son was eaten…?”

“That’s…” Kate lets out a strangled breath. “It’s possible.”

A few more staggering steps, and the woman says, “Are you telling me, that the boy I’ve spent my all to raise and love, is gone, and that I will never see him?”

Sir Integra senses the danger before Kate’s detectors as she slowly lifts up as well, insinuating herself between Kate and Meredith. The woman rages with a shout, making a fist with her hand midair to try and hit Kate, but the assault is cut short by Sir Integra who wraps her arms around Meredith, who’s howling in shattering despair, and skidding with her farther from Kate.

“She’s in one of the spare bedrooms,” Sir Integra announces as soon as she walks into Kate’s, her fingers rubbing between her eyes.

Kate, who’s leaning on the balustrade of the balcony, looks away from her master and back at the horizon. “How’s she?”

The master stands next to her and leans on the balustrade as well, looking out at the greenery surrounding the manor. “She’s asleep.”

“Do you think she’ll hate me for that?”

“She knew the consequences,” Sir Integra’s voice is soothing. “It’s no one else’s fault.” Facing Kate now, the master asks, “Tell me more about this coven. Tell me everything you know.”

“I’ve never actually encountered them,” she starts, “and even if I ever get close to them, I’ll leave before they find me; they scare the life out of me. Covens are usually started by the most powerful witch who, later on, recruits witches that are less powerful than her,” letting out a sigh, Kate continues, “Like I said before, they don’t appear very often, but when they do, it’s usually because they need to consume young hearts. It’s supposed to maintain their youthful state...” or such some cocked up shit. Kate is too scared of them to actually go after them. “And you know what’s even worse than that, it’s the fact that what’s left of the children is given to a very powerful Hound that services the witches.”

“How do you know all this?”

“When I first realized that I could do things that many others aren’t capable of, I started to investigate, merely to identify my enemies,” she replies, instead of simply telling her that she asked Gertrude. “I know that I’m quite powerful on my own, but I just can’t go after a coven of witches.”

“You admit you’re scared of them.”

“I’m terrified,” Kate said, unable to look Sir Integra in the eyes. “I’m scared out of my wits.”

“I see,” Sir Integra turns to face Kate, eyes unwavering and posture confident. “That coven has dared to take my friend’s son, and, according to your story, has even killed him. I’d like you tell me now how we can trail it.”

Astounded, Kate faces her master. “Are you planning to go after them?” The master’s eyes remain resolute. “Have you not heard a word I just said, it’s not only one or two witches, it is more than five. Excluding Zuri and Ian who are new, how do you suggest we beat them?”

“We have to try.”

Kate looks absolutely hysterical with her nervous laugh and wide eyes. “Sir, they don’t take the kids for a ransom, they eat them,” she said. “We can’t risk it. This is a suicide mission, and I refuse!”

“They took Mark…” Sir Integra’s eyes flick down. They’re blurred by a veil of sadness which only twists Kate’s heart more than it already has over the deceased kids. “I used to be friends with his grandfather. I even vowed to keep his family safe. And Mark is just a little boy, he doesn’t deserve this.”

A lot of kids didn’t deserve that, why does Mark have to be different?

Kate knows he isn’t alive anymore, so this little speech has come too late. If they go after those witches, it’s bound to end with their death as well.

On the other hand, Sir Integra has never shown her bare vulnerability, and if Kate refuses, it would be the end of them; they’ve already been dancing on eggshells what with their quarrel the other day, but the master is relying completely on Kate now and the girl would hate to disappoint…

She doesn’t realizes Sir Integra retreating from the balcony and making her way to the door until the click of the lock prompts her.

Screw it, she wasn’t even meant to live this long.

“Oh, fuck me..” She mutters to herself upon realizing how bloody and grotesque this is going to end, and she goes after her Alpha who’s come to an abrupt halt outside the door. She peeks up at those beautiful eyes and smiles, not even sure the smile’s reached her eyes or not. “Fine, let’s do this.”

Once more, Kate finds herself looking out the oriel window with her chest tightening into knots strong enough to tether a sail.

The only thing that would uproot her fears completely, she thought, was to come here and pray. The sky looks dark and gloomy, and there are raindrops slowly sliding down the glass and hazing out the image outside.

With a sardonic smirk, Kate lowers her head.

“I know,” she starts, “I didn’t have you on my mind at all when I was happy, but now that I realized how bad it is, I’ve returned to you.” It is not hostility that she feels towards religions, it’s the fact that many things can go wrong because of the believers of those religions; in fact, many things have gone wrong, which is why she doesn’t want to give a name to this relationship she has with her creator. “But, I need you, I need someone more powerful if I want to survive this, and I have only you to rely on. I don’t know if I’m going to live through this, so I’m begging you to help me. I’ve only recently started feeling content with my life; don’t take it away from me so soon.”

Her creator, Kate has found, only calls for her to remember Him, that He is the supreme and the most powerful, that He is the one who gave her these powers and can easily take them away.

Her problem is that she only reaches out to Him when all things seem to come to an end…

Downstairs, in a different living-room this time, Kate finds the pack in disarray, having absolutely no idea where to start the investigation. She looks away from the marvelous chandelier and the draperies that are interlined with sewn headings, and at Sir Integra and Elizabeth who are sitting next to each other on one of the Victorian-style sofas in the middle of the expansive room.

Kate approaches the pack, which is dispersed on the sofa sets with Alucard, for once, sitting on his ass rather than licking it up like he does whenever he pats himself on the shoulder. Upon a closer inspection, she spots Sir Integra’s ungloved hand stroking Elizabeth’s back while the lady leans into the master’s body.

She wants to be understanding and open-minded about it, give Sir Integra the space to breathe and Elizabeth the chance to endorse the emotional support; after all, the woman has just learned that her nephew might have been eaten by nefarious witches. But there’s a nagging sensation inside of Kate, the same that insisted that the closeness of Sir Integra and Lady Elizabeth might not be simply fortuitous, and it is stirring like crazy.

In fact, with her doubts growing out of hand, Kate, after Meredith was escorted to one of the spare bedrooms, went after Seras for the young girl was the only one who hadn’t lifted any questioning brows upon the sisters’ entrance, and asked her about those two.

“I’m not supposed to say,” Seras started, “It’s not a secret or anything, but it’s also not something for me to talk freely about.” The only reason why she acquiesced in the end and confessed was because Kate pleaded with her with those puppy eyes of hers. Letting out a massive sigh, Seras said, “About six years ago, Sir Penwood the son, and Lady Meredith found out they were pregnant, and so they hurried off to get married. Sir Integra was invited as well, of course, and that’s where she met Lady Elizabeth. They hit it off from the start, and soon after the wedding, they started dating.”

Kate felt a pang in her chest; she didn’t hate the fact that Sir Integra was dating someone else, no, what she hated was how people labeled their relationship compared to Kate’s and the master’s. She couldn’t help but feel inferior.

“Though, their relationship ended about three years ago,” Seras said. “Ever since we started dealing with this new organization, the dangers just grew massive. That’s why Sir Integra broke it off.” After another pause, Seras added “I guess she wanted to protect the person she loved.”

Kate knew that the line was not even in the same ballpark as she’s still in love with the lady, but it still sounded like it. Sir Integra broke up with Elizabeth to protect her, despite the fact that she loved her, and, as far as the master is concerned, that is unheard of. On the other hand, Kate is supposed to trace a coven of witches that could very much send her to her macabre demise, because Sir Integra vowed to keep her ex-lover and her family safe.

Kate didn’t want to be dramatic about it; anyone would do anything to keep the people they love safe, but the girl couldn’t help but feel she was just a means to an end.

Now, as she sits on the empty armchair, her eyes stray from the pair and wander the room.

“Good, you’re here,” Sir Integra said, finally registering Kate’s arrival. She returns her hand to her lap and corrects her posture. “Let’s get right into it, how are we going to proceed?”

The feat of talking suddenly seems too effortful, and Kate is too drained to force it out but she knows she has to. Clearing her throat, Kate sits up and says. “I need the boy’s dearest belonging. It is better if you can provide strands of hair, or a tooth, but if not, then the first option. I can trace its owner,” her eyes accidentally fall on her master’s, causing her a small heart-attack, and so she quickly averts her eyes, “The spell work for this procedure can be quite strenuous, and, most of the time, it does not work a hundred percent.”

“That’s alright,” Sir Integra said, now looking over at Elizabeth who looks back at her. “We’ll take our chances, Liz?”

The lady nods, agreeing immediately. “I believe my sister has Mark’s hair saved somewhere in her room; she couldn’t part with it, you see, it was Mark’s first haircut after all. I’ll try and find it as soon as I can.”

“Great,” Sir Integra beams strikingly at Lady Elizabeth, as though fascinated by the little story she just heard, before looking back at Kate with her smile falling and her expression looking determined. “Let’s do it.”

“Of course,” Kate hums, inwardly thanking God that neither Zuri nor Sir Integra can smell her anymore. “You’re the one manning the helm.”

If the spell is successful, then Kate will be faced with a dozen of witches, and, since Zuri has lost her werewolf powers and Ian is very new to this whole thing, then her only option is to go with Seras and Alucard; great, so all of her rebellion to not go with the speaking leech was for nothing. More to the point, if she goes there with the seal activated, she won’t return victorious.

However, if she deactivates the seal, her triumph is guaranteed. Despite the positive prospect, Kate doesn’t want to do that, not after closing the mark not long ago. Gertrude is still a mysterious entity, so her reactions remain unpredictable, and Kate doesn’t want to do anything that could enrage her, which, in return, would damage Kate’s body and psyche.

Eventually, Kate decides to keep the seal activated.

An hour or so later, Lady Elizabeth returns with a beautifully-carved wood box that contains a lock of Mark’s golden hair, and she hands it to Kate after some difficulty, as though hating to part with it. She skids closer to Sir Integra who is still occupying the same sofa, a leg over the other and an elbow braced on the armrest. She whispers something to her and the master whispers back.

“What now?” Zuri demands, owlish eyes glinting at Kate as she squats at the coffee table’s level, eying what’s on it.

The latter clutches the box and looks up with fiery eyes. “Let’s track them.”

The magic practitioner uses the bowl she asked one of the maids to bring earlier along with a paper map of the UK, places the hair in it, and then pours a few droplets of her own blood before mixing everything with her hand. She lights a match and tosses it into the concoction, and all the ingredients go aflame.

“Spread the map, please.”

Zuri follows the instruction, straightening the map and pressing its corners; the paper map has been rolled for several years for it to roll in on itself every time Zuri let go of it.

This could also be futile if the boy is no longer in the UK, and they’d have no more hair for the tracking spell.

Kate empties the contents of the bowl onto the map, the action never putting the fire out. “You may let go now,” Kate tells Zuri and watches how the curly-haired, and pretty much everyone in the room, inspect the map and the way it’s burning from different corners. “The spell is supposed to consume the entire map save for the portion that contains the boy’s whereabouts.”

The flames finally recede, dwindling around a crusty cut of soot-coated paper that reads _Salisbury_.

“It worked, it really worked!” Kate’s words slowly start losing air upon realizing that the spell has actually worked which means confrontation is imminent. _Shit_ , she thinks to herself, _I’m really going to die, aren’t I?_

“Is he really there, and is the spell really not faulty in any way?” Elizabeth demands, round blue eyes almost imploring.

“He is,” Kate confirms. “And no, the spell is not faulty. My magic is not just a bunch of cheap tricks; it’s more sophisticated than that.”

Elizabeth stares on with a puzzled look in those round eyes. “Did I offend you?” she asks, “I meant no disrespect. I’m sorry if you felt otherwise.”

With that blow, Kate feels like the jerk here and quickly dismisses it with a flick of her head. “Never mind, then.” Taking it out on the innocent lady is not very mature of her, Kate realizes.

“We depart today.” Sir Integra levers up like a king closing a counsel. “Prepare yourselves.” Turning to Elizabeth now, she adds, “You should stay here, with your sister. It's safer for you.”

The lady nibbles on her bottom lip before also rising to her feet, her face inches apart from the master’s, and the two exchange a deep stare. “I’m not leaving my nephew alone,” she determines. “I’m coming with you.”

What knocks Kate off her socks is the way the look in Sir Integra’s eyes relents in the flash of a second, her lips slowly forming the most delicate of smiles Kate’s ever seen. That, right there, is her undoing. In such auspicious moment, she comes to terms that what she is, and what she’s done and what she’s given to Sir Integra cannot be enough to the master.

She doesn’t know if the master and Zuri losing their werewolf powers today was pre planned by her supreme God or what, because this sucks, and Kate can’t help but feel the ugliest of emotions drilling into her core, leaving this unamending gap in its wake.

Will she resist, or accept this cruel reality for what it is?

“I’m heading out first,” she announces suddenly, making her way to the door without much of a fuss.

“Wait, Kate!” Zuri rushes after her, but when she finds that Kate isn’t stopping, the beta runs towards Kate and finally catches up. “Kate, just hold on for a second!”

It’s not her own wish to keep going; it’s her body that is acting on its own. The scuffling of her feet finally grinds to a halt when Zuri manually stops Kate by gripping her elbow.

This is overwhelming, and it’s too much that the emotions are looking for an outlet. The second Kate lets them spill out, all of her thoughts come rushing out. “What! Are you going to tell me not to take it to heart? Are you going to tell me to ignore it, after what I’ve suffered for her?” Zuri’s whole face scowls at the unexpected lambasting, but that’s just the thing, they never expect Kate to strike back. “When I told her the spell is strenuous, she told me to do it anyway, and when I told her that the witches could kill me, she told me to go after them!” She bellows through sniffles and tears, and adds, more calmly. “It may have not been ideal, but I was happy with Angus, and you should have never intervened.”

With that, Kate clears the scene, leaving Zuri glaring at her back.

It probably wasn’t right to lash out at Zuri, but Kate feels like it was her who started this sequence of events like a domino effect.


	10. The Witch With an Agenda - Part 2

Outside, Kate finds two cars waiting. She peers through the windows and concludes she’s the first to finish preparing. A while longer and she hears the door creaking open, but since she’s in rebel mode, she doesn’t turn to see who.

“Excuse me?”

That’s odd, because she remembers the owner of this voice sleeping in one of the manor’s rooms so she wouldn’t face the truth; Kate scoffs, aren’t they the same!

Lady Meredith’s eyes look ever puffier and redder, and there are new scratches in the corners of her nose from wiping it constantly. She looks docile, but Kate doesn’t want to go with that, not when she’s reminded of the lady’s propensity for violence, that’s why she keeps silent.

“I heard that you managed to find my son’s location,” she starts, all meek and tame. After Kate nodded, the woman said, “Now I’m sorry about earlier, I was very distraught about what you said, but I need to ask you for another favor, please?”

Walter comes out first and, upon finding Kate and Meredith talking, he frowns. Then Sir Integra and Elizabeth exit the manor as well, followed by the betas who march out one after another.

“Merry?” Elizabeth questions quietly. “I thought you were resting in your room.”

Her sister looks away from her and then back at Kate. “Bring me back my son, please…” She swallows her burbling tears. “I want to see my child, alive or not, I don’t care, I just want to see my baby again!”

She begins crying again, rough sobs racking her shoulders, and Kate feels her heart twist at the scene; nothing compares to losing the person you love most, but she just fears that she can’t make that kind of promise. The boy has probably already been consumed by now.

“Merry?”

Oh, she’s forgotten all about him!

Earlier, Sir Penwood the son arrived at the manor and was escorted to his wife’s room right away after being briefed on the case; he decided to leave it to Sir Integra and her people, and, instead, focus on being there for his wife.

Now, he comes rushing out of the door, eyes scanning the crowd for Meredith who throws herself into his embrace the moment he cups her face.

“We’ll wait for you,” he tells the master. “Good hunting, Sir Integra.”

With saddened eyes, Kate watches the couple retreat back inside, as does everybody else, but it’s Sir Integra who gets them to change that by telling them to get a move on.

Zuri keeps flinging Kate the side-glance but the latter does her best to ignore it. She tries to work out their seating plan; she’s always used the same car as Sir Integra, but since Lady Elizabeth is here, the master will unquestionably make an exception for her and tell Kate to get in the same car Seras is taking; however, she is a little surprised to see the lady and Seras getting inside the same vehicle.

“What are you waiting for?”

Kate snaps her eyes to the other car, finding that Sir Integra has opened the door and is waiting for Kate to get in. Insisting that she doesn’t want to have anything to do with the master, Kate makes her way to the other car.

“It’s fine,” she says, darkly. “I’m sure you want to enjoy the trip with your _friend_ , I don’t want to spoil anything for you.”

“Don’t be a child.” She growls, but it doesn’t deter Kate, who is just about to open the door to the other car’s backseat, but the master has darted towards her in a flash, and she pulls her roughly and grouses. “Get inside the car, now.”

Alright, so Kate’s only wasting precious time here, and that’s the only reason why she yields. It’s not because of those piercing eyes.

To execute her revenge, she doesn’t go in through the door the master herself opened for Kate; she rounds the car in a huff and opens the other door to get in.

The motion of the moving vehicle has somehow of a soporific effect, and that’s how Kate’s nerves restore their calmness again. She sinks into the seat, eyes on the window as the scenery changes in consistent seconds.

“Walter,” Sir Integra starts, knowing that the butler’s astute mind will be ready to filter in any order. But she probably doesn’t know that her deep voice has caused Kate to rise from her state of wakeful stupor. “I know Sir Penwood has already contacted Wiltshire police, but I need you to inform them of the situation, and tell them that immediate action may be imperative upon our arrival.”

He nods to assent confirmation. “Right away, sir.”

From her place, Kate doesn’t see the butler dialing the number, and, to be honest, she doesn’t want to right her position to see for something so vain like pretense. Then, there’s another person’s voice coming from the other end of the line, a woman’s, and she announces herself as the High Sheriff. The two mention Sir Penwood and his instructions, and Walter his master’s. The Sheriff also tells him that they’re preparing for Hellsing’s congregation to stay in one of the inns at the outskirts of town, which he thanks her for and the call ends on a happy note.

“It’s been taken care of, sir.” Walter asserts right after hanging up.

“Thank you, Walter.” She says, and then turns her head to Kate; the girl saw the master’s reflection on the glass of the window turning to face her. “Now, you’ve got exactly one hour and a half to tell me what in the world is going on with you.”

Kate does that universal shake-of-head to feign ignorance, finding that she’s righting her position instinctively. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You know exactly what I mean.” The other insists.

Kate curls her lips and shrugs slightly. “Maybe I was just trying to be nice,” she starts, “I heard you and Lady Elizabeth were _very_ close, so I was just trying to give you a chance to reminisce.”

“Nonsense!” Sir Integra bellows, the sharpness of her tone making Kate face her at last, and she sees those blue orbs that she hasn't seen in months, peering into hers with the same piercing glare. “If there’s something you’re not happy about, then out with it.”

Kate’s whole body trembles; she is one to always apt for evading responsibility, having to do with dealing with conflicts, and just all the damn _words_ , but, now, she knows there’s no escape and Sir Integra will get it out of her one way or another. She scoffs loudly; Sir Integra has started wearing her reading glasses back again, so Kate knows the source of her blindness now because there’s no way she didn’t see what’s been going on lately! “I told you, many times already, that you need to put Alucard on a leash. He says crude things about me, calls me names right in front of the pack, and I've had just about all I can stomach of his slanders,” And you know what, she wasn’t done yet, “You know what your problem is, when it comes to Alucard? You baby him too much; you know he’s a monster, but you still insist on protecting him. I don’t even understand why!”

“Is that all,” Sir Integra drawls. “Did you get everything off your chest?”

With a frown, Kate glowers at her master. “Why did you ask me to tell you what’s bothering me if you’re not even going to take it seriously in the first place?”

“Because it’s simply not serious,” Sir Integra said, and after an intense pause where Kate seriously considered steering the car off road and into a ditch with magic, the master added more calmly, “Your feud with Alucard is based on your own ruling. He does act brash, and he does say inconsiderate things, but he is not human, and you seem to forget that.”

Kate’s annoyance slowly simmers down and she finds that even her glare is slowly easing.

“There’s something you need yet to understand about Alucard,” she starts, “On account of recent events, he doesn’t expect me to be lenient towards you; the contradiction in my action and what I promised him, however, causes friction. If we try to break it down a little more, Alucard is being vengeful.”

And then it starts coming together. “He is mad because, although everyone suspects that I had something to do with the incident, I’m still getting away with it, is that it?”

The master lolls her head sluggishly, humming. “More or so,” she said. “It’s a little more personal than that.”

Kate still doesn’t get it. “What’s that supposed to mean, were you two together?”

“No, it was never like that.” Sir Integra flicks her hand dismissively. “He knows I only like women.”

“Then what is it?”

“Simply put, he thinks that I’m indulging you too much.”

Sir Integra’s eyes remain on Kate’s as the girl tries to process what she’s just been told, and she suddenly chortles.

“That’s” Kate starts, a little bewildered. “So he and I have both been thinking the same thing about one another?”

The master’s lips break into the tiniest of smiles. “It was quite amusing, watching you two whine about the same thing.”

With both her hands cupping her face, Kate laughs, her voice getting muffled. It’s such a relief, to be honest, a great relief, indeed! Alucard isn’t holding back some secret or some type of privilege over her. The two of them are in the same boat.

“I can’t exactly take sides,” Sir Integra admits. “Your approach, as well as Alucard’s, is wrong, and it needs to be corrected.” To be fair, when Alucard was maligning Kate, she was besmirching him, too. Now, it’s becoming clear that it's not that Sir Integra didn’t take Kate’s side, it’s simply she didn’t prefer to take anyone’s side. “Alucard won’t ignore my orders, but I hope I don’t find you difficult to deal with again; the last case could have been a perfect opportunity to work through your unsolved conflict.”

All of a sudden, Kate feels her face heating up with embarrassment; everyone saw her melodramatic ass in the Gun Room acting like a teenager. She groans, deeply, and finally lifts her head to look at her master again.

“You should have told me sooner,” she says, and then lets out another grunt. “I can’t believe any of this!”

“I was quite surprised when you couldn’t figure it out by yourself; you’re a very smart lady after all, Kate.”

Woah, Kate’s heart thumps in her ear. _Don’t go dropping flirtatious bombs like that so out of the blue!_

“Come on,” Kate sighs, in an attempt to avert the attention from her flushing cheeks. “Don’t hold that against me; you know how I feel towards you.”

There’s a beat of vague silence, before Sir Integra faces forward. “Yes, I do.”

Speaking of which, Sir Integra hasn’t commented on Kate’s hint about her and Lady Elizabeth, and Kate doesn’t want to force her into anything. The fact that she simplified her conflict with Alucard was enough for the girl, and, besides, she doesn’t want to be nosy. If Sir Integra feels like it, she’ll tell Kate eventually.

It’s funny how Kate used to think that the curse was evil and that no good has come of it, but, now that she senses these emotions of want, possession and jealousy, the wolf isn’t here to pick up on them.

“Seras came to me before we left,” Sir Integra starts, urging Kate to leave her train of thought and focus on now and here. The master’s posture hasn’t changed; she still remains seated facing forward with a leg over the other, hands cupping her knee. “You asked her about Liz and me.”

By the amount of times her heart has somersaulted ever since meeting this person, Kate believes it can be a gymnast if it wants to.

“Why, was I not supposed to?”

“My relationship to Elizabeth is a personal matter.”

Kate shakes her head. “No, it’s not.” The other snaps grimacing eyes at Kate, and the girl lifts up a hand to forestall whatever was forthcoming. “Let me explain,” she starts, “what I had with Angus, that was personal too, but you still butted in and now I might never see him again. So don’t talk to me about personal matters; it’s not like it’s expedient for you but ill-advised for me.”

The master’s frown looks outright furious now. “Are you saying that Angus’ deployment still upsets you?”

That’s a wild thing to conclude from _that_!

“That’s not what I’m saying.”

“Good, because you’re not going to see him again.” Sir Integra growls. “So don’t bring it up again.”

“Okay, alright, wow!” Kate lifts both hands now, her entire body drawn to the master’s direction. “You’re making the wrong assumptions here. I brought up his name to make a point, but I made my choice back in Sweden. I thought you already knew that.” As the master remains quiet, Kate tacks on, “I asked Seras, not because I meant you and Elizabeth harm, it’s simply because I was getting jealous.”

“Jealous?”

“Yes, jealous!” Kate can’t believe the amount of misunderstandings the two keep stumbling on. “Extremely so!”

“And why is that?”

Kicking the master in the balls right now would be justifiable, Kate is certain, but she doesn’t do it. No. She tilts her head a little bit, her brows furrowing and her look deepening.

“Are you seriously asking me that?” Sir Integra’s obliviousness should be written about in scriptures, just so that more people realize what Kate had to endure. “You really can’t tell how jealous I’ve been? Or Why?”

The other nibbles on her lip for a moment, contemplating. “This isn’t about Liz, is it?”

Kate looks scandalized. “What else could it be about?”

“Alright, let me make one thing clear,” Sir Integra starts, drawing a gloved finger up, and keeping it lifted. “Liz and I, we are not like that. We are close, but not like that.”

Her fear has been eased, thankfully, but Kate can’t help but feel the lack of reassurance in those words; if they’re not like that, then what else could it be? She saw the way Sir Integra looked at Elizabeth, and how she smiled at her; you can’t tell Kate that one of them isn’t harboring feelings for the other.

Silently, Kate tips her chin down, her eyes wandering over her lap.

“Alright,” Sir Integra starts again, her deep voice so pleasant to listen to. “Liz and I are no longer together. We agreed on ending the relationship and that was a long time ago, over four years now. She is still an important person in my life, though, but not for the reasons you imagine,” She only finishes what she’s saying after Kate lifts her chin and meets those blue eyes, “She is my confidante.”

What Kate knows about that is that confidantes are people you trust with your deepest secrets, and you’re never afraid that they’d repeat it to others.

“That’s all.”

Was she seeing things that weren’t there, or did she simply misread the things she saw?

“I have a lot of respect for Elizabeth, and I don’t think that is ever going to change.”

Oh, so it might have been admiration; if you hold somebody in high regard, you don’t roll your eyes at them or wait for them to finish talking, but you look at them proudly and smile, and you listen to what they say. Perhaps, that’s what it was.

Kate will latch onto that for now.

Nodding, the magic-practitioner licks her lips before biting the bottom one. “Alright, I’ll take that.”

“What did you really think it was?” By her tone, Sir Integra sounds amused.

Kate sniggers. “I don’t know,” she starts, “that you two were still together, and that I was just a minor sexual dalliance to prove your hypnotic powers are still working.”

Unlike what she expected, Kate is surprised to hear her master chuckle . “I think you and can agree that we’re past minor dalliances,” And adds, “No, Kate, I wouldn’t come to you to have a quick romp with you only; I mean that too, but you’re also here with me for other reasons.”

“One more thing” If they’re going on this chick-flick ride, then they might as well go full-speed. “There’s something that really bothered me, when I told you that this coven could kill me or that the spell work earlier was going to be strenuous, you didn’t stop me.”

“Why would I?” The master drawls. “I trust your magic. I know that we’re dealing with a merciless enemy, but I have also seen what your magic is capable of, so I don’t see why I should stop you.” When Kate remains wordless, the master says, voice darkening, “A lot of things could go wrong, I’m aware of that, which is why I’m sending two of my best agents with you. You aren’t going there alone; I won’t let that happen.”

Blowing out a sigh, Kate leans to the back, eyes on the hood. “I know that,” she really does, “I know, I’m just…” There’s shifting in Kate’s peripheral vision, before she feels the other’s body near hers, their sides touching, and then Sir Integra’s lips capture Kate’s earlobe. The girl teases. “So you do want to have a quick romp with me after all!”

The response she receives is knee-jerking as a pair of hot and wet lips play with her earlobe, and then Sir Integra hums, sending shivers down Kate’s spine. “Just for a while longer...”

The entire ride, all Sir Integra does is nibble on Kate’s ear; she’d switch from time to time, leaving open-mouthed kisses to the long stretch of Kate’s neck until the girl gasps and moans, but she’d always return to that ear.

It usually takes approximately two hours to get to Salisbury by car, but since this is an emergency, the trip lasts only one hour and a few minutes. That or Walter simply didn’t wish to hear any more of their flirting. It’s kind of weird that they didn’t get pulled up by any road patrols, but Kate is ready to bet that it has a lot to do with the type of vehicles they’re driving.

The temperature is freezing and the sky is dreary, and, from the fog coating the streets, the village looks like something right out of a horror movie. There are only a few people outside, and it’s a little too early to go to a pub. However, Kate notices no kids playing outside, which adds to the eeriness of this town.

The cars groove towards a small building where the High Sheriff said someone will be meeting them, finding a ginger man wearing a beret and a velvet coat. He’s hiding his hands in his pockets, but he immediately takes them out when the master vacates the vehicle. He does look old, but not old enough to be fifty-something.

“Welcome to Salisbury, Sir.” He gushes, his hand spreading out to shake the master’s. “I’m John Hollingworth, and I’m going to be your guide.”

“Thank you, Mr. Hollingworth.”

But said man is already cutting her off with his hands raised, “Please, it’s John.” Looking at the others who are exiting their car, he beams. “I’ve prepared three rooms for you, so you’ll be paired. But do let me know if you’re dissatisfied with the arrangement; I can do something about it. It’s April, so there aren’t a lot of tourists around this time of the year, but I can still show you around. There are many places to see in Salisbury.

“Unfortunately, John, we’re not here to sightsee,” Sir Integra simply said. “Show us to our rooms, please.”

There’s an awkward pause, the man not knowing whether to be humbled or frightened. He clears his throat and motions them in. “Of course,” he says, “right this way.”

Their hotel suite includes a sitting area with several sectional sofas and armchairs, wood chairs and tables, and flat screen TVs. There’s a stone fireplace that really stands out from the wooden wall-paneling, and brilliant milk bottle lights that give the place a very tranquil atmosphere.

They’ve been talking back and forth about the approach they’re going to take, but Kate has burned that piece of map she kept with her to pinpoint the boy’s location with a magical flame; it won’t go off until it finds the owner of the burned hair.

“She’ll come with me,” Kate says with a tense voice as she gestures to the vampiress. “Seras and I have already worked a case together, so we understand each other better now.”

“Alucard must go with you,” Sir Integra is as a stubborn as an ox. “Otherwise, this mission will be compromised.”

“Our first priority is getting Mark back,” Seras shares a piece of her opinion. “If we go there all three of us intent on fighting them, it might not end well.”

“Thank you!” Kate exclaims. “I’ve been telling you nonstop that their coven is very powerful; there’s no way I’m fighting them. We have to be smart about this.”

“Your plan is, what, exactly, kidnap Mark from them?”

Kate nods. “Yes!”

“I don’t want to get in your way, but can’t we just barge in there?” Elizabeth, who’s standing next to Sir Integra and across from Kate, asks with knitted brows. “We’re only wasting time; besides, we can always deal with the rest later.”

The thing is, there might not be a ‘later’ for the magic practitioner; Alucard can rise from the dead, and, as far as Kate knows, Seras’ resurrecting ability has never really been put to the test but she was given her powers by Alucard himself. So that answers that. Kate lowers her eyes, admitting to what the woman has said. They’re wasting time arguing on things that will take time in the long run for them to finally agree about, so this is no place for such trivialities.

“She’s right,” she tells them, before looking at Sir Integra. “He can come with, but, just so you know, I’m not going to babysit him.”

Alucard chooses that moment to emerge from Sir Integra’s shadow on the floor, rising smoothly and forming his body; his entrance managing to steal the spotlight like always. “Don’t worry for me, witch,” his erotic voice resonates in the vast room. “I can look after myself. Just make sure you do your job right.”

They don’t have time to flirt, the paper is still burning and it might get completely consumed in fire if they don’t hurry. Kate wills the paper to drift towards the boy’s location, and it does. The three of them follow the burning cut of paper as it floats in the air like a fallen feather, traveling outside the room, down the staircase, and towards the entrance.

There’s a gust of wind outside that makes the flame flutter, but since it was summoned by using magic, it’s not going to go out any time soon. The hour is still in the early afternoon but the sky looks dreary and gloomy, heavy clouds have descended closer to the hills, looking like they’re about to consume the ground.

Realizing that, this is it, and that there may not be another chance, Kate grinds to a halt, reels to face her master with an aloof smile gracing her lips.

“There’s no need for me to tell you, I guess,” she said. “You know what to do if something happens to me.”

The master gives a terse nod, keeping the look in her eyes unchanged. With a scoff, Kate turns to leave, but she is surprised to hear Sir Integra say, “You must succeed. You have to come back to me.”

Without turning around to show how the overwhelming words have flushed her cheeks, Kate responds with a “I’ll do my best.”

The ignited paper rides the wind, quickening its pursuers’ pace and taking them in the direction of the smaller houses at the edge of town. The farther they go from their hotel, the lesser people they see and the rougher the ground to walk on gets; it was kind of funny to see the few townspeople they came across watch two vampires and a magic user running after what must have looked like barbecue ambers to them.

The paper flies farther from those small houses as well, leading Kate to think it’s heading towards the woods, but a quick change in direction guides them away from the woods’ direction and to a different path.

Kate’s foot lands into a puddle of mud, but Seras pulls her out deftly by the arm, and the three continue their run in complete silence.

They’ve been running for long, unbearable minutes before a beautiful rustic house came into view, shrouded by long trees and flowering shrubs. The burning piece of paper floats around it a couple of times, and it never changes direction after that.

“That’s it.” Kate murmurs. “That’s where the boy is.”

“Now that we’ve found it, how are we going to proceed now?” Seras demands, wide eyes on the house, studying it for an exit if it ever gets to that.

“I was thinking of the Invisibility spell,” Kate starts, trembling eyes switching to look at Seras and quickly back at the house. “I can go in there, look for Mark and give you a signal if I do find him. You’ll have to be on stand–” Kate sees Alucard already advancing to barge into the house, so she hisses after him in a whisper. “Where do you think you’re going?”

“I’d rather gouge my eyes out than sit here and listen to you tell me what to do.” He repositions his posture, lolling his neck to crack it before smiling eerily at Kate. “How about we just go in there and slaughter those dart-noses?”

Bringing him here was a mistake; he only cares about smiting the witches and that’s what’s going to sabotage this mission. Seras, in a frenzy not knowing whom to follow, runs after her master after saying “one party has to die, it’s either them or us.”

It only leaves Kate, and she doesn’t want to take any risks. However, to be fair, Mark has probably already been killed; even if the paper brought them here, it might simply mean that his body is still here. They have to fight, whether Kate likes it or not. Staying behind is only postponing the inevitable.

“Oh, it took you so long to find me!”

Kate snaps her eyes up, finding a silhouette of a womanly figure standing at the door. She looks at the vampires, finding that they have come to a pause a few meters away from her, and, now, they’re gawking at the owner of the house.

“Come on in, I’ve been waiting for you.”

The three intruders outside watch how the woman ushers them in with a quick motion of her head, before going inside first and leaving the door open for them.

“This is an interesting twist.” Alucard hums.

“It could be a trap, we must be careful,” Seras comments.

Aren’t they magnificent creatures!

They weren’t going for ‘careful’ when they decided to simply barge in with their guns blazing, but now that it’s come to this, they want to act cautiously.

Whatever.

They can’t just leave now.

There is a nice, aromatic scent that collides with Kate’s nose the moment she steps foot into the house, almost homey, like the scent of the strawberry pie Kate’s mom used to bake. She gives the place a quick once-over, finding nothing out of the ordinary. The boy doesn’t look to be here, either. 

Kate glares at Seras, who stares at Alucard, and the three of them exchange a vague look between one another before looking at the woman who’s in the kitchen area, facing them with her back. She looks to be standing at the sink, doing the dishes.

“I’ve prepared a cake, but it’s going to be a while before it’s ready,” she said with an amused hum in her nasal voice. “I’ve been waiting for you for hours, when you didn’t show up, I decided to try my hand at cooking” –she slowly swivels around to face them, showing an uncanny grin– “you know, to kill time.”

She looks tall and young, like someone in her mid-thirties. She has got a large forehead, rounded face, voluminous lips and big dark eyes. She’s wearing a black sleeveless dress, and has let her rich, black hair down her shoulders.

Kate panics at the mention of the word ‘kill’ because time is probably not the only thing this woman has killed.

“There is just you.” Kate notes out. “Why is your coven not here?”

The woman shrugs slightly, wrapping her arms over her chest. “Reasons.”

"Don't you guys live in caves?"

"This was built in the early nineteenth century. It has first-rate, hand-made furnishings. And the rent is pretty low. Why would I skulk in the woods and leave a warm house like this?"

Kate curls her lips. "Fair enough."

“Well, we thank you for your hospitality,” Alucard lets out a sigh and puffs out his chest. “But we’d like to take the boy and leave.”

Wait, it’s been a while since Kate tasted a strawberry cake; it wouldn’t hurt to stick around to have a taste.

“Of course,” the woman’s brows do a little twitch, her hand motioning to the closed door at the side. “You can have him; I have no use for him anymore. I only babysit on weekends.”

With a sunken heart, Kate lowers her eyes. So she was right, the boy has probably already been eaten.

“But” Alucard was on his way to the door when the woman stopped him. “I need an exchange for him.”

“What do you mean?” Seras bellows. “Isn’t it enough that you ate his heart?”

The woman places a hand on her chest, looking taken aback. “What a barbaric thing to say!” She exclaims. “It’s true that, by some strange osmosis, witches’ practices have become rumored to be barbaric and heartless, but that’s a big fallacy. Girl, we don’t eat babies.”

Seras sends a heated glare to Kate’s direction for giving her wrong input, the latter shrinking under it.

Oops.

“Don’t look at me like that,” Kate defends, “I wasn’t the one who wrote those hundreds-year-old scriptures about this coven.”

“To put your mind at ease,” The woman lifts off the counter and makes her way to the trio, arms still on her chest. “Most of the rumors were started by us, mainly to protect the secret of the coven and its members. It’s the same thing about werewolves during a lunar eclipse. The rumor says that their wolf takes over and they become these blood-thirsty creatures, but you and I know what the simple truth is.”

“Alright, fine,” Kate huffs. “If you didn’t eat the boy, then why did you kidnap him in the first place?”

Beady eyes bore into Kate’s for an unsettling beat, before the woman smirks. “You wouldn’t bother coming here if it weren’t Sir Penwood’s son, someone so dear to your beloved master.”

Immediately, Alucard draws his guns and points them at the woman’s head. “Who are you, and what do you want?” his voice is dark, and doesn’t denote any playfulness anymore, unlike the woman’s.

“Do women actually fall for this bossy attitude?” She scoffs, and upon hearing Kate snorting at her words, the woman concludes, “I guess not.”

“Talk, witch!” He pushes the gun deeper into her hair.

“It’s Strega,” the lady says with her nose crinkled.

“Strega is the Italian word for a witch,” Kate mumbles. “But, Alucard, I think you should ease up on the girl; she could turn you into a fish if she wants to. Don’t push your luck.”

The King of Vampires ignores her warning completely, nudging the mouth of his gun against the woman’s head. “Just tell us what you want, and where your coven is.”

No, Kate doesn’t want to know where the coven is; it’s enough they know that Mark is here and wasn’t eaten.

Seras has left in the middle of their squabble, making her way to the closed door, and now she emerges with the little boy nestled in her arms, wrapped in a blanket.

“I’ve got him.” She announces with a happy squeak in her voice.

“No, you don’t ‘got’ him, I let you.” The woman huffs, and, finally having enough of Alucard’s brash behavior, she clamps a hand on the gun and pulls it away from her head. “Now that I let you have him, the girl right there must stay.”

The girl being Kate, whose jaw falls and eyes widen to comical proportions.

“Where did that come from?” She howls.

“Don’t act too important,” The woman rolls her eyes. “I just need your help with something.”

“What’s that?” Alucard asks, his hand ushering to Seras to take the boy and leave.

“It’s a little personal, but I promise to let her go if she and I don’t come to an agreement.”

Seras scurries outside the house with the boy in her arms, and, in her hurry, she forgets to close the door after her. Kate only watches how the blonde’s figure gets completely swollen in darkness.

“You can have her.” Kate’s head whirls to Alucard’s direction just on time to witness his unnerving smirk. “To be true, my master has become too indulgent towards her, and it’s incumbent upon me to heal the breach. If you have use for her, take her.”

“Alucard, you fucker!” Kate roars, high gestures accenting her words. “Who do you think you are, deciding things for the master?!” She advances on him with a stomp in her gait. “You won’t get away with this, you blood-sucking freak!”

Her hands fail to get a hold of his body as it has misted away before Kate could reach it, and, now, the girl is left with the Strega by herself.

“Does that mean he’ll get the promotion?”

Kate is still being tormented by harsh stabs of anger, but she slowly turns to face the Strega. “What are you going to do to me?”

“Well, first, I was thinking of feeding you,” she walks back into the kitchen. “Come on, Kate, take a seat. I think the cake is ready.”

“How do you know my name?” Kate quickly corrects her approach. “That’s absurd of me to say; I mean you knew all about Sir Penwood’s friendship to my master. You knew he was going to summon us to investigate. You probably even knew that it was going to end this way.”

The woman is busying herself in the kitchen, cutlery clinking and cupboard doors being opened and shut close. Kate has already taken a seat on one of the two armchairs positioned next to the fireplace, and she stares on emptily.

When the woman finally arrives, she places a platter on the small vintage trunk between the two sofas, before sitting down herself.

“If you want to sit and stew, at least do it on a full stomach.” She lifts Kate’s piece of cake and hands it over to the girl, along with a cup of coffee. “I don’t know if you like sugar in it.”

Since she doesn’t drink caffeinated anything, Kate is only satisfied to taste the cake. “It’s fine,” she says, making a refusing gesture to the offered cup of coffee. “I’ll have this.”

The woman doesn’t complain. She drinks from the cup before placing it back on the table to lift her piece of cake as well. “It’s not bad.”

Kate shakes her head. “It’s quite good actually,” she comments. “It’s so spongy, what’s your secret?”

“Vinegar.”

“Are you serious?” Kate’s mind is blown. “I mean, that’s unheard of.”

“It’s quite common; you just don’t hear it very often because it’s supposed to remain a secret.” She adds after a pause. “I’m Alina, by the way. And you don’t have to fear me. In fact, I’m more scared of you than you are of me.”

“Well, there goes my self-esteem.”

Alina barks a bubbly laugh. “Let me explain, and, also tell you why I wanted you here and why I had to use Mark.”

“I’d appreciate that.”

“Here’s the short version of my story,” Alina starts, “A long time ago, I used to be an apothecary who sold and made drugs and medicine to cure the ill, but I was accused of satanic practices and consorting with the devil. I was imprisoned for a few months before I managed to escape.”

In the early modern period, Europe was overrun by witch hunts, and it has led to hundreds upon hundreds of deaths. If she’s talking about the 1800’s, Kate wonders just how old this woman is.

“The long and harsh weather of winter drove me to wander the woods, scared for my life, and that’s where the coven found me and took me in. At first, it was simply just a bunch of us trying to support each other, but as the years wore on, our objective started to drift from surviving to looking for other ways to not die.” Alina puts her plate on the table, her eyes darkening even more. “Now, however, I just want it to be over. I want to leave the coven, but I know I can’t. And that’s where your help is needed.” She looks deeply into Kate’s eyes. “I learned about Mages, and what they’re capable of. I heard about the monster you took down in Central Sweden, and I just had to get in contact with you. The only way I could was by kidnapping Mark, the poor boy bless his soul, the sweetest thing I’ve seen. He brought you to me.”

Kate is already shaking her head. “I won’t fight them, espacially not for you. The things I’ve read about this coven, they could seriously harm me.”

“I can let you in on their secrets, Kate!” Alina gushes, her hand seizing Kate’s and causing the girl’s body to go stiff. “I don’t want you to fight them for me; I just need you to help me break the contract.”

Okay, that’s interesting. And less demanding.

“Explain…”

Alina removes her hand from Kate’s to show her the symbol on her arm. “When she took me in, the head of the coven bonded me to her by witchcraft, so I cannot leave unless she allows me to. She doesn’t allow me to leave, though, and I don’t want to stay.”

“I don’t understand, you’ve been living happily together for thousands of years, so what’s changed?”

Alina lowers her head, for what it seemed the first time, and refuses to answer, but, after a silent moment, Kate narrows her eyes. “You’ve met someone, haven’t you?”

The Strega lifts disbelieving eyes. “That’s –I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

“Cut the crap, I know that look,” she’s been wearing it for months. “I know this rebellion is because you’ve fallen in love. Now you want to leave because you want to be with them, isn’t it?”

“This is not what we need to focus on,” Alina grits out. “You have to help me.”

“Why the fuck would I help you?” Kate rises up to her feet, looking rigid. “I’m not going to trust your words for it; even if it’s love, how do I know it’s real and that he or she wouldn’t chicken out? I can’t go after the High Witch for you because you’re suddenly complaining from heart eyes. Why would I take that risk for you?”

“If you don’t, then I’ll just kidnap Mark again, and, this time, I will make sure you people don’t find him.” Alina’s eyes don’t look up at Kate, and that’s how the girl knows Alina isn’t playing around. “I can’t break the binding without your help.”

This isn’t happening!

“You” Kate rakes her fingers through her hair and clutches, hard as she can. “Do you even realize what you’ve started? Since he hates me to his very core, Alucard is going to go back there and tell them that you and I are working together! Do you have any idea what that is going to do to me? And now you’re asking me to risk my life for you?”

“Please,” Alina slips to the floor and kneels, her voice clogged with tears. “I have no one to ask but you. I’m begging you.”

Kate bites her bottom lip harshly to stop it from trembling.

“I want to be with him,” she sobs. “I love him, and I can’t live without him. Please, Kate, please!”

Kate scrubs her face to wipe the tears of helplessness away; she can’t ignore Alina if she’s acting like a wretched thing. Kate knows how falling too deeply in love feels like and how desperate the woman must be feeling. She even understands her situation, probably better than anyone else in this world…

“Stop,” she said, and quickly falls to her knees as well. “Alright, just stop, I’ll help you. Sit up properly now.”

The woman nods urgently, making more tears splatter from her lids. She clasps both of Kate’s hands and lets out a deep sigh.

“Just when I managed to avoid getting killed, you make this request?” Kate crosses her legs to sit more comfortably.

The other mimics her posture, shaking her head. “I won’t let you die. I promise.” She sighs again. “Let me tell you more about this binding so you’ll understand.”


	11. The Witch With an Agenda - Part 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Announcement: 
> 
> Eli has opened a commission shop and it's very cheap. Her art style is very neat. Mine turned out so good!  
> You can order and read the rules here:
> 
> https://instagram.com/_ellinoir_?igshid=1qfyua2oqf1fa

Alina refuses to remain in the house, especially with the risk of a raid. She grabs her velvet, knee-length coat from the room Mark was in, comes out again, opens the rift and ushers Kate to follow in. “We must go now,” she prompts. “I’ll explain once we get away from here.”

“Why, I think here is pretty safe.”

In a flash, the Strega is cocking her head at Kate, like she discerns something about the girl which no one else can, before approaching her. “I’m not stupid, Kate,” she starts, “if your people raid this place, I’d lose you and hence the only chance I have at breaking the binding contract.”

“You don’t have to worry about that,” Kate says with a dismissing gesture of her hand, “nobody is going to raid this place for me. Now can we just sit down and talk?”

“Do you really want me to believe that they’ve abandoned you, Hellsing’s most powerful relic?” She marvels, but her tone is suggesting that she’s challenging Kate.

Kate is done playing nice. “Hey, I can be as respectful to you as is expected of me, but you’re pushing it. If you call me that again, I’ll skin you alive.”

“It’s the truth, isn’t it?”

“Are we going to do this or what?” Kate lifts her chin in challenge. “Because if you’re just going to stand there and make up things that don’t even exist, then I’d rather go back to my hotel suite and try the free-standing bath.”

After a pause intermittent by a heated exchange of glares, Alina points at the rift. Kate tongues at her eyetooth before grunting, and finally walking through the rift, Alina following instantly behind.

They emerge on the other side of the rift in the middle of the woods. It’s supposed to feel daunting, but the weather looks amazing, scattered clouds and a faintly-warm sun peeking from time to time. Completely different from the place she’s just been in. And that’s what alerts Kate.

“This isn’t Salisbury,” Kate notes out. “Where are we?”

“Harz Mountain”

Kate spins about, hands clenching at her sides. “You brought me to Germany!”

“Don’t yell, you’ll only exacerbate the situation if they find us.” Alina’s eyes are scanning their surroundings, as though expecting something to pop out any second. “We don’t have time, there’s an hour hike on the wait.”

Fear clutches Kate’s heart in a death grip. She goes up to the other and seethes all over her face. “You brought me to the coven? Are you out of your mind?”

“I have a plan,” Alina reasons. “Just follow my lead and nothing bad is going to come over you.”

“Is that a threat or are you trying to assure me, because I can’t tell!” As Alina steps away, Kate can’t help but grasp the woman’s hand to stop her. “This is not how you earn someone’s trust. Explain what’s going on or I’m leaving.”

Upon hearing the warning, Alina reverses their roles and, now, she’s the one who has a strong grip on Kate’s arm. “You can try, but you need to know that Mark’s safety depends on you.” She takes in the way Kate’s eyes tremble before she loosens her grip, her hand travelling up to Kate’s cheek to frame it. Her face softens and she says, “I made you a promise, and I intend to keep it.”

It feels odd; Kate doesn’t remember anyone palming her face like this, and the gesture is very gentle that it almost feels comforting. But she won’t fall for it. Kate jerks away from the false comfort, eyes looking elsewhere.

There’s a beat of silence where the brunette feels Alina staring at her, and then the Strega sighs. “Start walking.”

The magic practitioner lingers behind, watching Alina walk on the trail that leads into the shadows, and dreading what’s hemmed in by those massive pine trees.

They’re supposed to, but they’re not walking side by side. The trail goes on and on into the woodland that the walk feels like it’s going to last for eternity, and, throughout the hike, Kate can’t help but notice neatly piled logs lining that trail like giant anthills, giving the land several bald spots.

“What happened here?”

“Landslides,” Alina provides, eyes never straying from the pathway. “Several storms caused the landslides that destroyed swathes of forest.”

If she knows specific details about this place, then it means one thing. “Do you live here?”

“I don’t live in one place, Kate.” There’s a sigh that follows Alina’s statement, before she continues. “But for most of the time, we prefer the woods.”

That brings up something. “Then what about the rustic house in Salisbury?”

“It was just a front,” she said. “First impressions matter and I needed to impress you.”

“So you lied to me about that.” Kate concludes. When Alina doesn’t comment on that, the brunette can’t help but wonder what other things Alina might have lied about. “What about what the scriptures say about your kind, is it really just an exaggeration like you said?”

That, somehow, brings Alina to a stop, but she refuses to turn to face Kate as she says, “It isn’t.”

Kate’s heart drops to her stomach.

“Our kind existed way before religion,” she starts, “I joined the coven hundreds of years ago, so the practice may have changed. I’m actually quite happy that witches nowadays don’t have access to the same knowledge of witchcraft that my coven does. Otherwise, it’ll be hellish.”

The only thing that interrupts the silence is a cloud that veils the sun’s rays, darkening the ground like a reflection of Kate’s mood.

“So,” Kate gulps, hating to broach the subject but knowing she must. “Kidnapping children, is that –do you do that?” Once she lets it out, she finds she can’t stop. “You said it was a lie, and I believed you, but, do you consume their hearts?”

Alina lowers her head, reels slowly to face Kate with that dark look in her eyes. “If they ask, tell them you’re here for the kids.”

Kate is still trying to make sense of that when she feels a sharp sting in her neck. Looking down, there’s a shiny thread that connects Kate’s neck to Alina’s hand.

“What did you do?”

“Don’t panic,” Alina faces forward again. “We’re here.”

If she’s going to be facing a coven of cannibalistic witches, asking Kate not to panic is the wrong thing to do!

“Too late!” Kate fumes in a whisper, before peering into the woods. There’s a beech tree that really stands out, and Kate finally pinpoints the door’s frame on its trunk.

“Move.”

Kate feels her body getting hurled forward by the thread, the action worsening the tightness around her neck. “You’re going to break my neck, you meathead!”

“Are you going to shut your mouth or do I have to cut off your tongue?” Saying so, Alina doesn’t stop dragging Kate by the thread, leading them right to the baulk of the tree where the door is. She pulls the door open and walks in.

Kate stops at the doorstep, looking down at the dimly-illuminated spiral staircase that leads to who knows where. She refuses to go in, but Alina doesn’t sympathize with her.

“Stop wasting time, come down here.”

With her nose crinkled in distaste, Kate climbs down the stairs towards where the light is coming from, the unfamiliarity of the place and the stuffy air giving her a slight vertigo.

They finally reach the ground floor, and Kate feels a little tug at her neck before she is pulled inside. Her eyes narrowing upon sighting what’s in there, like the white curtains cascading the walls, the hand-woven rugs splayed on the ground, and the throw blankets with intricate patterns laid across several canopies, as well as the flickering candles of different sizes dotting the room, providing a warm glow.

For a second, Kate wonders if Peter Pan is going to show up to welcome her.

“What is this place?”

“Be quiet,” Alina grits out.

Kate squeezes her teeth together to keep from retaliating, but Alina already said she had a plan and Kate needs to act the part.

“Lin, is that you?”

Kate snaps her head towards the source of the voice, finding a short Asian person with a pixie haircut walking in from another door at the side that’s veiled by the curtains. From their voice and the way they’re dressed in baggy clothing, Kate can’t really tell what their gender is, but she does notice that they have no Adam apple in their neck.

“Oh, Kannika, you’re here.” Alina goes in farther, pulling Kate with her. “Where’s the High Witch?”

Kannika juts her head at the door she just exited from. “Mullo is in there with her.”

After hearing the answer, Alina nibbles at her bottom lip, as though pondering the choice of going in there. Kate would say it’s inappropriate, but no one has asked for her opinion.

“They’re almost done, though.” Kannika mutters with a sigh, now approaching Kate and studying her from head to toe. “You haven’t answered, who is this?”

“A little gift for the High Witch,” Alina replies, and there’s a visible scowl over her forehead when her eyes and Kate’s meet. “You know how she likes gifts, right?”

That Asian person hums distractingly, their eyes piercing through Kate’s, the look so intense it makes Kate want to confess things she didn’t even do. Luckily, Kannika, or whatever their name is, loses interest in Kate just as quickly, now moving towards the canopy and flumping down on it.

The moment Kannika turns to face the backrest of the canopy to nap, Alina seizes the chance to look at Kate, nodding at her, perhaps to disperse her fears, before turning to face the door of the room where the High Witch is, which creaks open, causing Kate’s heart to beat uncontrollably. But, unlike what she ever imagined, the High Witch turns out to be only a teenager dressed in a short skirt and a long sleeve top, all in black.

Great.

An emo.

“Alina,” the girl grins, the blue eyes glinting innocently. “Where have you been?”

“My lady,” Alina bows her head as the blonde teenager smiles up at the Strega. “I’ve come bearing gifts.”

The High Witch, who looks like a character from Suicide Room, comes closer to them, making Kate grow tense with each step.

“Oh, really?” she drawls with an amused look. “And who is this supposed to be?”

“What do we have here?”

The three girls look up, as another person leaves that room wearing a cloak and black armor boots; funny, is there a human manufacturing machine in there or what? But this one looks familiar, Kate realizes with a sunken heart. He is _the_ Vedmak.

“It’s you.” His smile is rather endearing. “This is a much unexpected visit from you.”

“I knew your kind skulks like cockroaches.” Kate smirks. “So this is where you live?”

Alina’s furrowed brows deepen upon realizing that Kate and the Vedmak already know each other, and that the encounter might bring her plan to a dead end, and neither she nor Kate will leave here victorious.

“No, I don’t live here.” The Vedmak pushes forward, his hands behind his back. “Believe it or not, I’m only here to visit a friend. Why are you here, if not to see my handsome face?”

Kate manages to catch a few glimpses of his face thanks to the lighting, and she notices that he’s got glassy blue eyes, a sharp nose and a small mouth. Oh, and he’s hairless.

“Unlike you, I was ambushed and dragged here.”

Alina chooses that moment to meddle in. “I’ve planned this for over a month for my upgrade exam, my lady. Does this qualify me to pass?”

While the teen scrutinizes Kate, eliciting an uncomfortable reaction from her by doing so, the Vedmak all but hums in deep thought, before addressing the Strega.

“And how did you manage to ambush as well as drag her here?”

“I did what most spies do, I spied.” Alina blows a heavy sigh. “I’ve heard the High Witch mention this person a couple of times, so I thought it would be a good opportunity to hit two birds. I found that Sir Gregory Penwood is a good acquaintance of Integra Hellsing, for whom Kate has signed a contract of allegiance. I also found that he has a son. So to put things in motion, I kidnapped his son and left behind false evidence.”

The Vedmak claps with glee. “Impressive, very impressive, as expected of Lucy’s pupils.”

“Not only that,” Alina does this clichéd evil laugh which looks forced to Kate, but the others fall for it. “She believed me when I told her that she’d find the kids here. How stupid!”

The girl, Lucy, smiles up at the Vedmak with evident pride. “I won’t need to hear any more stories from you about this _Kate_ , now that she’s here and you can do whatever you want.”

He makes a deep obeisance, eyes closing and opening in acknowledgment.

“I was looking to recruit her,” he starts, “but it’s still a little early for that. Besides, I don’t believe she’ll voluntarily come to us.”

“Then, just make her.”

Is that how the brat solves her issues? Who’s the idiot who thought it was funny for Ramona Flowers to be in charge of a god damn coven!

The Vedmak shakes his head like a wise monk. “She needs to come to me on her own term.”

“That’s not going to happen, hotshot.” Kate scoffs. “Why would I join your band of outcasts when I can be a member of the most powerful organization of the supernatural in history?”

“That’s a good question,” he takes a hand out of his jacket to stroke his chin. “But let me ask you this, does the rest of the Hellsing organization members also have contracts? Or is it just you?” That’s a good point. “Let’s be real, Kate, to them you’re nothing but a walking weapon. They will use you until there’s no life left in you, and then they’ll abandon you, just like how they abandoned the ones they didn’t need anymore.”

“And you promise something different?” She meant it as a derogatory jeer, but Kate herself is surprised at the small sliver of hope in her voice.

“Not only different, but better” Great, now he sounds like a walking ad. “We may not have a King of Vampires, but our sense of unity is our drive. We support each other, and that’s what makes us stronger than them.”

That’s quite entertaining; the Vedmak is actually doing Kate a huge favor doing all the talking so she can figure out a way to understand what Alina’s plan is. She does want something different, a life with Sir Integra without a contract to bind her, and a pack that acknowledges her, but those are things that will only come to pass if Kate proves her innocence. It’s not Sir Integra’s choice to bind Kate to the contract, but had it been someone else, Kate would have already been beheaded.

Integra Hellsing may not be perfect, but she’s trying her best to make all parties happy, and that’s good enough for Kate.

“If you aren’t going to force her to join us, then stop wasting time. You know a girl like her can’t resist Integra’s charms.” Lucy’s body slowly changes shape, morphing into this adult version of herself, with plump breasts and seductive curves. She even becomes taller than Alina and Kate. Her voice also changes, sounding deeper and resonant. A trick like that is not simple. It can’t be mastered overnight. This High Witch has just performed a very complicated trick like it was nothing, so it makes Kate wonder just how powerful this lady is. “Mullo, we don’t need her. We already have an army of loyal soldiers who are ready to follow you to death.”

“You may be right,” the Vedmak tilts his head as though contemplating. “But I have a need for her.”

“What’s that?”

His nonchalant smile vanishes, replaced by a scowl. “A need to crush Hellsing’s ego.”

Wow, isn’t this a healthy happenstance!

“So, basically, you’re like the guy who wants to get revenge on his ex and I’m the new girl you’re dating to spite them?” It’s already so hilarious! “Sorry to say, but I’ve never been one for drama. Your gang of rejects can continue to skulk, but the moment I get my chance, I’ll send you all to Hell.”

The Vedmak is only staring openly at Kate’s challenging glare, but the High Witch, on the other hand, seethes.

“Who do you think you are, belittling my people?” She clasps a hand on Kate’s hair and pulls her closer. “You’re nothing but a tool to be used. In bed or in battle, it doesn’t matter, you’re just a _thing._ ”

Infuriated by the insults, Kate doesn’t feel herself reacting until she feels a hot sting in her palm, realizing later that she’s just slapped the High Witch. Crap. The grip on her hair loosens, and Kate staggers away from the angry woman, eying her cheek that is redder than its twin.

“Did” Lucy is bereft of words. “Did you just slap me?!”

“Insulting me like a pirate, did you expect me to rejoice?” Kate huffs. “I’m not scared of you” she’s terrified “I won’t let you get away with insulting me.”

“Lucy,” the Vedmak goes to appease her with a hand on her shoulder, “Ignore her lip. Go back in that room and let me handle this.” The High Witch glowers at him. “You can’t hurt her, do you understand? She’s pivotal to our plans.”

Instead, Lucy grips his arm from the wrist, and they all see how his skin starts decaying. She shoves him aside, and, although her action is hardly violent, the Vemak still ends up being sent flying across the room and falling behind the canopy Kannika is napping on, causing her to jerk up to her feet.

The thing is, Kate fought the Vedmak before, she knows how strong he is; so it makes no sense that the High Witch is tossing him like a ragdoll.

Now what?

“Where are the children?” Kate decides to follow the plan, and she knows it’s a little bit late, but if this is going to blow up into a fight where one of them dies, then Kate should get something useful from this. “The kids that you took, where are they?” The Passover is going to end by the rise of tonight’s full moon, but there’s still hope that they didn’t consume all the kids.

The High Witch doesn’t give any satisfactory replies as she lifts both her hands, mutters a spell and then attacks, a faint green glow shoots from her hands and chases after Kate, but the girl quickly summons the barrier. The strength with which the glow is pressing against the barrier is too powerful that Kate knows the barrier won’t last; especially that she didn’t use any blood to strengthen it, so she switches to attack, sending several fire balls one after another.

The Strega trails backward towards Kannika, watching the fight from a safe distance.

The High Witch turns Kate’s fire balls into smoke, before mimicking the attack, but instead of fire balls, she sends more smoke. Kate needs to contain it before it suffocates her, so she warps around the room, and by a lucky ricochet, she manages to hit the High Witch’s back with a bolt of electricity.

“Enough!” The High Witch roars, which brings everything to a stop. “Enough of this child’s play.”

Kate lands on the floor with a thud, and she straightens up to watch how the woman’s skin color pales, it becomes paler than a corpse and Kate wonders what kind of transformation she’s opting for now. She doesn’t want to find out, but there’s no way out of here now.

“Lucy, calm yourself!” Mullo calls out, and as he advances forward to help her calm down, it only aggravates the situation more when the High Witch lets out a blood-curdling scream.

These guys have got tons of unresolved tension going on here. Kate votes for immediate therapy, unlimited free prescriptions and free pass to their local hardware store, so they can bludgeon each other and rid the world of their idiocy. 

In a flash, the High Witch vanishes completely from sight, leading Kate to wonder where she could be hiding, but the moment she turns around to search, a blindsiding pain flares in her left side; Lucy’s hand having been thrust into it. All Kate manages is a blood-garbled gasp as she stares at the black veins marring the witch’s face, the ink-black eyes with no whites in them and the lips growing blueish as if in a warning sign of pneumonia.

“A source of conflict is not allowed,” she says in a low, sinister voice, her hand groping Kate’s internal organs and squeezing them, causing the girl to hold onto the Witch’s upper arms and cry out miserably. “You must be eradicated.”

“Kannika, now!”

Kate is in a clutch of pain so ruthless that she doesn’t register what happens next, but she does ferret out the fruity smell of the fog that gets released from Kannina’s hands, and she catches sight of Mullo crumbling to the floor, and, the most unbelievable of all, she sees a black thread around the High Witch’s neck connecting to Kate’s, and to Alina’s hand.

“Got you.” Alina murmurs with a bit of an overzealous smirk, before pulling at the thread hard enough to penetrate Lucy’s throat.

“You bitch!” The High Witch rumbles, sending shockwaves of energy that causes the curtains to rock back and forth, and their hair to move in all directions. The moment Lucy tries to pull away, the thread tightens more.

Alina approaches them with Kannika in tow. “I’ve been waiting for this moment for so fucking long,” she expresses with hurt in her voice. “I’ve been searching for hundred years for ways to end you, and the choicest was to attack when you show your true form.” That’s her true form? Wow, talk about a source of nightmares. “Finally, I can use your own magic to hurt you. The more you resist, and the more magic you use, the closer you get to death’s doorstep.”

Kate would like to express something, telling the High Witch all of that is not a good plan, you dimwit! But she can barely stand, and Lucy’s hand in her guts is the only thing keeping her vertical.

“A thing like you can only be killed using black magic, and what’s a better source!” Alina marvels. “I can kill you, at long last. Gods, I’ve never been happier!”

The High Witch’s alien eyes switch to look at all three girls, her hand thrusting deeper into Kate’s side, making the girl wither in agony.

“If I’m going, then I’ll take her with me.”

Alina scoffs. “I don’t care” –Kate’s lips part open to curse, or anything, but nothing comes out– “I brought her here as part of my plan, and that’s all she is. Now, as you die a slow death, I’ll take Kannika and leave.” She faces Kate now. “You were helpful, but it’s time to leave before the others show up.” With a grin now, she adds, “bye, bitch.”

Kate and Lucy look with furrowed brows at the two girls scurrying towards the staircase, climbing up and then disappearing from sight.

Then it’s dead silence.

The High Witch wrenches her hand from the wound, and with nothing to hold her upright, Kate drops to her knees, a hand on the wound. It’s a good thing she isn’t bleeding thanks to the bands, otherwise, these people would have figured out a way to dry her up from the very last drip. As Lucy wobbles to the back, Kate looks up with a pinched face, watching how the woman struggles to cut the thread. But, as Alina said, the more she struggles, the tighter the thread squeezes.

It’s an ugly sight, to say the least.

Unlike Kate’s, the thread around Lucy’s neck is steel black, which reminds Kate of a very old spell, perhaps older than the High Witch herself, one of counter-attack. She isn’t certain, but there is a possibility that Alina used the thread on Kate as a decoy, and when Lucy attacked Kate, the thread sucked in her magic and then latched onto her. This could mean that Lucy is probably going to die from her own magic.

That Alina, her genius is equally admirable as well as disturbing.

This isn’t the point, the other coven members could be here any minute, and Kate is ought to leave as well. She can always resort to her magic to zip herself back to London, but the High Witch’s hand was inside her for a long time, doing god knows what to her organs, and Kate doesn’t trust that the woman didn’t plant some sort of a curse that could go off if Kate uses her magic.

Wait, it’s not time to think. She needs to get out.

Like a new-born gazelle, Kate lifts up using her uncooperative limbs to help her navigate her wounded body, deciding to leave the High Witch to her much deserved demise; that’s what you get for eating children. However, the sound of the Vedmak’s grunt makes her stop all motions. She whirls around, finding Mullo levering up to his feet. He rolls his shoulders, massages the back of his neck before standing tall like a century-old megalith.

“This is quite a mess,” he starts, now stepping forward. “Wouldn’t you say?”

“Don’t get any closer.” Kate is astonished what a body addled with adrenaline is capable of. “Stay away from me.”

Surprisingly, Kate is not his aim as he wraps a hand around the High Witch’s neck, getting hold of the thread’s end and then twisting it around his hand.

“Mullo!” Lucy begs. “Get me out of this!”

“It’s okay,” he hushes. “You’re going to be okay.”

“Didn’t you hear me?” she seethes more. “Undo this, you good for nothing!”

Right then, Mullo’s eyes land on Kate’s, and he smiles, of all things. He’s creepier than Alucard, which is saying something. Instead of undoing the thread, Mullo pulls the thread with one strong movement, and it’s all it takes to cause it to cut through the rest of the muscles, arteries and bones, severing the head from the shoulder.

The moment blood sprays, Kate uses her free hand to cup her mouth to keep from screaming. She notices how her own breath has grown shallow and uneven; this is the world she’s dealing with, these are the kind of people she’s involved with. Suddenly, it’s the scariest thing she’s seen, and Kate’s body trembles. Shivers course through her body and she quivers as if she’s dancing.

Lucy’s body falls, but her head remains in Mullo’s hand. He eyes it like it’s a painting, before looking at Kate. “She would never shut up. I don’t understand why the coven put up with her for so long; she wasn’t even that strong to begin with.” He tosses the head upward, and it comes back to his hand, and then he does it again and again, until Kate realizes that he’s playing with it. “I could use a girl like Alina, though. She is smart! It took her years to master this plan, which means she’s a patient killer, and those are rare nowadays.”

The pain in Kate’s side intensifies, and she can’t help but make a small moan, her hand pressing against the hole the High Witch left in her side.

The Vedmak raises a brow at that, his hand clutching Lucy’s head and falling to a pause. “Don’t deactivate the seal, otherwise the curse would latch onto your Imugi and corrupt it.”

“H-how would you know?”

“You aren’t the only Mage in town, hotstuff.” With a wink, he clenches his fist so tight that the head in his hand explodes into fragments of meat, bone and blood. “You’d better leave before the others get here.”

Appreciating the advice, Kate uses what’s left of her strength to run, from Mullo, from the gory scene and from everything. She climbs the stairs on four, and crawls outside to the cool air of nature. It smells like wet dirt. It is so refreshing. She staggers to her feet and runs, and runs, not knowing where to hide. The trees are abrasive to the touch, and their sharp twigs scratch and stab her sides

Now that she’s fleeing for her life, the woods take on an eerie look. The pine trees are tall and the land is endless, it feels like she’s in a dream with demons at her tail.

As the pain intensifies, Kate starts to come to term with the fact that she can’t put her body under more strain. If she can’t use magic to heal herself, then she’ll have to go back to the old-fashioned way, and she needs a safe place for that –she hears harsh footsteps, like dogs chasing a rabbit, and she grinds to a halt to wait it out, but the sound is not only getting clearer, but closer as well. Kate limps to the side to hide in the bushes, hoping that this thing will walk past her without noticing her.

The crouched brunette feels a cold drip on her head, and then another on her hand, and then more on the dirt. Before she knows it, the rain is picking up pace and washing everything, creating steam that swirls between the tree trunks. She seizes the chance to peek from a little gap in the bushes, finding a dark shape just beyond the haze, prodding towards her.

Even with the rain, that thing can still smell her. She wonders if the other witches have already arrived and have sent their hound after Kate. This is unfair, Kate thinks as her eyes tear up, why does she have to face such fate? Why did she trust someone like Alina? And why did she help her in the first place? Broken and emotional, Kate hides her mouth behind her hands and sobs as silently as she can.

 _Please, God,_ Kate prays, _make it go away. Just like you made the rain fall, make this thing leave without noticing me._

Whatever it is chasing her stops, and a tension-filled moment follows before the creature howls, the sound making the earth under her feet quaver. It howls again, but, this time, the effect is directed to the bite marks on Kate’s neck.

Still in disbelief, Kate slides out of the shrubs, eyes making out her master’s form under the rain, smelling the air to trace Kate’s scent.

“Sir?” with an arm braced around her middle to protect the wound, Kate steps toward her master in an unsure way. “Sir Integra, is it really you?” It’s not possible, because she left her master in England, so how could she arrive here so quickly? “Is this the witches’ trick to lure me out?” because it’s working, “or is it really you?”

Then it hits her like a calming rush, that no creature, however strong, can make the bond marks in Kate’s neck throb the way her master can; that’s all it takes for Kate to jog the rest of the way to her master and shorten the distance.

Sir Integra’s hair has darkened, her eyes look red and her tanned skin is tainted with dark veins travelling up one side of her face, but it’s really her. Kate breaks into another sob, now winding her arms around her master.

“I’m sorry I screwed up,” she cries, “I’m a stubborn fool. Alina played me like a fiddle, and then she left me with the High Witch to die!” The werewolf whines into Kate’s hair for her to stop crying, its hands roaming Kate’s back, in times even patting. “I don’t know where the kids are” –she pulls away to look at the werewolf in its red eyes– “I couldn’t save anyone…”

Instead of a reassurance, the werewolf snaps its attention to something lurking in the bushes, which alerts Kate as well.

“What is it?” Kate asks, and the werewolf makes deep snarls, the action pushing vapor out of its mouth and nostrils. Concluding that they’re being spied on, Kate says, “We need to get away from the pathway,” she clears her throat, a hand pulling at the werewolf and the other pressing on her wound. “Come on, the witches are probably tracking us, so we have to find a place to hide.”

They’re deep in the woods when Kate’s foot hits something and she tumbles down, gazing dazedly at the lifted root that she tripped over. She’s _dazed_ , and that’s probably the first sign that her condition is worsening. As the werewolf nudges her shoulder to help her sit up, Kate finds that her limbs are refusing to cooperate.

“I can’t,” Kate wheezes, her hand on the wound is sweating and her pulse is fast, she doesn’t think she can push for more. She’s puffing out breaths, because, somehow along the road, breathing normally has become too excruciating. “I c-can’t, I’m sorry.”

The Werewolf finds no problem manhandling Kate to help her on its back, although the girl gasps in pain, but she’s grateful she won’t have to run now. The werewolf’s back is warm, and Kate finds herself pressing against it and hugging her master tightly.

A few more minutes of traipsing in the woods, the Werewolf finally spots a small cave between a few bushes, a perfect hideout. Kate is sure no one will find them there if they cover their tracks; besides, with the rain falling nonstop, creatures won’t be able to track their scents.

The cave is dusty and dark, and its ceiling is not high enough for Sir Integra to stand at full height, but it’s warm, and that’s what's important right now. The werewolf helps sit Kate in the corner where the wind gusts don’t reach past the entrance, and then squats down in front of her to watch.

“Bring me those small rocks and the dry plants over there.” She instructed after her eyes adapted to the darkness and could make out the shapes around. “We need to light a fire before I get pneumonia and end up like the High Witch.”

The Werewolf follows the instructions to the word, bringing everything to Kate and placing them at her feet. The girl uses her unoccupied hand to pet Integra’s head, complimenting her for the good job. With difficulty, Kate manages to start a fire by hitting two flint stones, and using the dry plants to help the spark grow bigger.

With that done, Kate leans back to remove her clothes, and it doesn’t escape her how the Werewolf has prompted up, looking excited about the change of events.

With a fond smile, Kate scoffs. “Keep it inside your pants for now,” she said. “Otherwise, this wound will never be healed.”

Speaking of, after Kate removes the coat and the sweater, she reaches the white strap shirt that looks bloody, which means that, despite the bleeding-preventing spell, the curse still managed to cause this much damage.

The werewolf starts emitting these small pained whines, and its body switches positions, unsure of what to do to help heal the wound. There’s a hole in Kate’s side the size of a ping pong ball, and Kate is too scared to tear the fabric from the wound because she knows how painful that will be.

“Hey, handsome?” She looks up at the Werewolf. “If I pass out, don’t scent or touch the wound, you understand me? Don’t get any closer to it.” The Werewolf snorts its rejection, its head already diving to scent the wound, but Kate’s hands clutch its hair. “I said don’t. I mean it.” She looks unfazed as she explains the situation to a creature that has amazed her with its communicative abilities before. “This wound is cursed, and it won’t go away if you lick it. It will only curse you as well.”

The Werewolf makes small meeps as it slowly retreats farther from its mate. Kate decides to let it in on something that she was ashamed to say, but now knows she must. “I was so scared before, you know that? I thought I was all alone, but I’m not, because you’re here with me, and this is all I can ask for. But I want you safe, and if something happens to me, you need to be there to take me back home.”

Apparently, she doesn’t need to tell it twice.

Kate returns her attention to the wound, just the idea of removing the fabric from the dried blood is giving her bad feelings. “Alright, here goes nothing,” Saying so, Kate blows a nervous breath, her hands slowly tearing the shirt’s fabric away from the wound and causing her unimaginable amount of pain.

“Oh, fuck!” She sobs, pausing for a moment to catch her breaths and let the anxious Werewolf know that she’s alright, for the most part. “Oh, God, it feels like I’m cutting my own skin,” she said, now removing the shirt the rest of the way with one determined pull; it’s enough to make her shriek into her hand.

The Werewolf gets closer, perhaps to comfort her, but Kate yells at it to stay away.

“I’m okay, I’m okay,” she reiterates, despite the fact that there’s snot and tears on her face, she knows she can’t make Integra’s wolf worry too much. Leaning back against the wall now, Kate paws at the hem of her shirt, finally taking it off and remaining in her bra only. She removes her boots and pants as well, placing everything around the fire in a neat circle.

“Now the fun part,” she jokes, peering down into the hole that was drilled into her side. “I should have used Gertrude’s power on that psycho. I’m to blame, too.” Her hand hovers over the wound so she can mutter the healing spell, but for its longevity, it does nothing. With a scowl, Kate repeats the spell, and another, but all they do is stir this dull twinge under her torn skin. “I don’t get it,” she sniffles, “why isn’t it working?”

“Because it was caused using black magic”

As Kate snaps wary eyes at the entrance, the Werewolf snarls at the intruder, who turns out to be Alina, standing there in all her glory.

“What do you want?” Kate demands, now trying her best to sit up and pretend the pain in her side can’t weaken her. “Why are you here?”

The Werewolf scents Kate’s nervousness and it acts on it, pouncing on the Strega, but the woman simply sprinkles shiny dust on it and the Werewolf falls to the ground unblinking.

“Sir Integra!” Kate cries out and lifts up, not knowing where her energy came from, and she makes her way to the Strega. “I’ll kill you for hurting my master, I’ll murder you!”

Alina’s amused smile doesn’t let up. “With your magic so impaired, I don’t think you’re capable of blinking, let alone commit a murder.”

Kate’s face is flushing and her side is yelling at her to take it easy, but Alina here used her, left her to die and now she’s hurt Sir Integra; she’s not going to get away this time.

One foot in front of the other, she coaches herself. She’s overheated and light-headed, but she must keep going.

One more step and Alina will fall into her clutch, but she doesn't count on the ground being so steep closer to the entrance, and she gasps and throws her hands up to brace for impact, somehow knowing that it’s too late and she’s about to take a hit to the head.

However, that also doesn’t happen as Kate feels a sudden harsh constriction around her middle, a hand clamping along her unwounded side, and a tug that forces her body to tumble sideways.

Kate lands on her healthy side, her head slamming against Alina’s chest since she’s the one who took the full brunt of the brunette’s weight in the fall.

“God damn!” Alina snaps, but she doesn’t do anything to get Kate off her. “You can’t even watch where you’re walking, which only goes to prove my point.”

Kate grimaces as painful ticks shoot up and down her entire left side, rolling off Alina onto the ground to check on her master. “What did you do to my master?”

“Relax,” Alina breathes, scrambling back up. “He’s just asleep.”

It’s not easy to relax. Kate has had a terrible day today, so don’t tell her to relax.

“Help me bring her back inside,” she mutters, palming the ground to lift herself up to a sitting position.

Instead, Alina lets out an insufferable sigh. “I’m not here for him,” she grits out. “Now let me take you back inside so I can check on your wound.” As the Strega goes to touch Kate’s shoulder, the girl yanks her arm away. Alina bites her lips, looking like she’s barely containing her anger. “Stop being a kid and let me help you!”

“Help me? All this is your fault in case you’ve forgotten!” She bellows. “You’re the reason I’m hurt, and you’re the reason I couldn’t save those kids!”

That’s apparently the last straw, because Alina mutters a pejorative and hooks her hands under Kate’s shoulders to lift her. The brunette protests, but the pain shoots up a hundred notches and she finds herself mewling in agony.

“Give me a break,” Alina huffs, laying Kate down on the floor. “There are no kids to save, don’t you get it?” As Kate twists on the ground to escape the pain, Alina starts pulling at the back bag she’s donning, opening it and rummaging inside of it. “The moment they’re kidnapped, they get eaten. There’s nothing left of the kids now, not even bones. Those bitches leave nothing behind to be traced.”

Kate is losing rein over her own emotions; she’s in a lot of pain, and she’s hot and delirious, her mate is lying motionless right there and she can’t do anything to help. She starts crying again, dreading this sense of hopelessness.

“I can’t save anyone,” strong sobs shake her entire body, “My master told me that she thinks my magic is very strong, but when it really counts, I’m useless! Even now, I know children are being trafficked, used and murdered, and that they need my help but I can’t do anything _to_ help!” She hides her face and cries into her hand, tears pooling on the ground. “Why did He give me these powers, if I can’t even use them to save a bunch of fucking kids? Please, I need to know! Why can’t I save the people that really need it?”

There’s a hand on the top of Kate’s head, circling, massaging, and it lulls Kate to a restful sleep, but she still manages to hear, “Sleep for now, I’ll be here when you wake up.”


	12. The Witch With an Agenda - Part 4

Kate stirs to the sound of water pouring into a basin before a wet cloth is placed on her forehead. As she swims past these big waves of fatigue, she starts to hear a faint crackling noise, like fire eating up wood. The sound reminds her of the smoke the High Witch casted, and, as though prompted by the reminder, Kate’s lungs feel an itch that only coughing can fix.

“Easy”

Kate hears Alina’s voice near her face, then a hand is hooked behind her neck and lifts it up a little to help her breathe. She peels her eyes open, the formation of the cave’s ceiling finally focusing and causing her an involuntary gasp.

“Don’t panic,” Alina coaches, “You’re only going to make yourself sick.”

 _Too late_ , Kate rebukes, but she knows nothing is coming out but bile.

While Kate heaves, Alina does her best to keep Kate’s head propped off the ground so she can retch all she wants. “Told you so,” she said, using the wet cloth from before to wipe at Kate’s nape.

As a response, Kate makes a drawled growl like a starving zombie. The sensation of a wet cloth should feel nice, but suddenly there’s so much touching and Kate is reeling.

“It’s okay, Kate. I’m not here to judge you. Just breathe, okay?” Said girl attempts to follow the instructions and Alina finds a cooperative patient is worth the effort. “That’s it, just like that. You’re doing great.”

Through the commotion, Kate’s squinted eyes start analyzing the cave. “W-where’s my master?”

“He’s still asleep, don’t worry.” Alina lays Kate’s head back down on the floor, taking the cloth now and washing it in the basin again. “It’s around two in the morning, but it’s still early for him to wake up now.” She brings the cloth, leaving the water inside the basin to slosh back and forth, and she places it on Kate’s forehead again. “I guess I used too much sleeping dust on him, oops.”

Kate only manages a groan as a complaint since she’s still feeling too groggy to talk. Looking at her master now, she notices the blanket draped over her, which inspires the sensation of something warm covering her as well.

“I brought these with me when I went back to Salisbury through the rift,” Alina provides after taking notice of Kate’s quizzical stare. “I knew after your fight that you’d need medical aid, so I risked it. I found my place swarmed by military forces, and I saw Sir Hellsing’s butler barking orders, so I left quickly.”

Silence grows, interrupted by the sound of popping from time to time. Just as the brunette starts getting a grip on her surroundings, she shifts to sit up. The woman beside her makes no move to help, hoping it isn’t necessary but, from her tense frame, she’s still suspecting it will be soon.

Kate manages to sit up and lean her back on the wall, its cold touch feels amazing against her clammy skin. She isn’t wearing anything beside her underwear and the gauze swathing her middle, the hole in her body is aching a little but the pain is manageable, which could mean that this apothecary had some grace to actually help, for once.

Although the two of them are both girls, Kate still lifts the blanket’s hem up to her chin for some decency.

“How did my master end up here?”

Alina is poking the firewood with a long stick, the orange hues shading her body and giving her eyes a serene look. “I opened the rift for him.”

Kate growls. “You used us.”

“I helped you, didn’t I?” Alina reminds, looking at Kate but Kate is too weak to retaliate and thinks it too useless anyway. She already made her point clear when she told Alina that everything was her fault. “Besides, things had to be done the way I planned; a lot of lives were at stake. I did what I had to do to salvage what I can.”

“Open the rift again, and let us pass through.”

The Strega shakes her head. “I can’t send you back to Salisbury, and I can’t open the rift to your Headquarters; Alucard is there.”

That’s odd. “Why did he leave so quickly?”

The other lady drops the stick, now bracing her arms on the floor and leaning back, her cheek on her shoulder. “I’m not sure, either,” she starts, “I had hoped Alucard would still be there when I went back, but I was quite disappointed when I found that he’d already gone back to London with the kid.” She blows a sigh and rights her position, sitting cross-legged. By doing that, her knee touches Kate’s since they’re sitting only a few inches apart. “I originally planned to use him to fight the rest of the coven members, but I made do with who was available.”

Calmly, Kate added “So you used my master.”

“And Seras,” Alina provides. “She must have followed her master through the rift, but Kannika told me she saw her.”

“I can’t believe any of this,” Kate looks up, but remembering how the cave’s ceiling made her ill earlier, she quickly looks over her lap. “The Vedmak actually complimented you, right before he squished the High Witch’s severed head in his hand. He said he’d use someone like you. And I agree, a selfish jerk like you will get things done.”

They languish in silence, but Alina refuses to keep things at that as she says, “I’ve heard tons of stories about how powerful your magic is; I mean Mullo wouldn’t shut up about you. Consequently, that caused some friction between him and Lucy, because she liked him,” she said. “A High Witch is supposed to be strong, but Lucy wasn’t. I mean not as strong as Mullo, but she did have a lot of tricks up her sleeve, and that’s why we feared her. In close combat, she defeated her opponents with curses and incantations, but other than that, she wouldn’t have lasted if you took her down with your magic.”

“Now you’re telling me this?”

“I’m trying to make my case,” Alina defends. “I made a mistake. My equation wasn’t perfect and you got hurt in the process, but to be fair I didn’t count on you to egg her on.”

Kate is already feeling nauseated again hearing all this nonsense; Alina had so many chances to prepare Kate for the fight, she chose not to. “Just be quiet.” She groans as she tries to pull her knees to her chest but doesn’t manage to. “Where’s Seras?”

“I have no clue,” Alina faces the dark entrance of the cave which the flames’ halo doesn’t reach. “Kannika saw her ganging the rest of the coven members, and she wasn’t hurt. They’re both somewhere on this mountain.”

That actually brings up a query. “What about the person you decided all this for, the one you said you couldn’t live without, is he even real?”

“In my imagination, yeah, he is.” Alina grins like a Cheshire cat. “Come on, honeybun, you really thought I’d risk it all for some guy?”

“You’re horrible.” Kate lifts the blanket’s hem a little over her chin. “And I’m stupid.”

Alina takes a sideway glance at the injured, her carefree expression slowly furrowing. “Kate,” she starts, now sitting properly and dusting off her hands. “I didn’t use you,” she says, “I wanted your help, and you helped me. It’s true I twisted the facts a little bit, but had I really told you the truth, would you have done it?”

“Yes!” Kate’s voice cracks as she looks deeply into Alina’s eyes, and then more evenly, “yes, I would have helped you.”

“Bullshit.” Alina jabs a finger Kate’s direction to stress her point. “If I told you that a coven led by a psychotic High Witch is feeding on kids, and that I’d like to take her on, you’d have run back to your master and left me with Kannika to figure it out on our own. People can’t be nice until they’re begged” –she looks away to hide her expression– “Ego is such an ugly thing.”

Maybe she’s right, and maybe she makes a valid point; both Lady Meredith and Alina had to plead her to help before Kate really considered it, but the way things ended _could_ have been avoided. “If you told me about your plan from the get-go, I’d have helped. Maybe not physically, but I’d have lent you my powers.”

The raven-haired shakes her head. “It’s just empty talk, Kate.”

“How do you know that for sure?” Kate challenges. “We aren’t even friends. You don’t know if I keep my word.”

“It’s because we already reached out to other Mages before you, and they refused to help.” She looks back at Kate finally. “That is the truth.” As Kate lowers her head, Alina tacks on, “Kannika was the last to join the coven, and the only one to do things her way. She wasn’t scared of wording her disagreements, and I admire that about her. I really do. She’s a real hero.” As she looks up, her eyes are brimming with pride. “I feared the idea of letting her in on my plans, but I’m happy that I finally overcame my fears and told her. Our nightmarish life is finally over, and Kannika and I can finally start anew.”

“What’re you going to do now, that the whole thing is over?”

“It isn’t over yet,” Alina said, darkly. “Mullo won’t let us get away with this; he helped us to not get sensed by your kind, which, fyi, is the reason why you didn’t get any headaches when you met me” That explains a lot! Mullo did mention that he is a Mage, one that’s fallen off the wagon. But he has access to magnificent power, and it’s going to take more than Kate if they have to take him down. “One could say that he owes us now.”

“That’s an overstatement.”

“It really isn’t.” Alina shrugs. “I’m going to start a new thing, an occult, or organization, call it whatever you want, and I’m going to reach out to all those who want to destroy that asshole.”

It’s a serious issue, Kate knows, but can’t help but snort until saliva splatters from her mouth.

“That’s disgusting!” Alina groans.

“Not as disgusting as your occult’s goal.” She chuckles. “It’s going to take a dick bigger than my arm, you know, to destroy that asshole.”

Alina, done with Kate’s dreary shenanigans, shakes her head sadly.

Speaking of holes, the one in Kate’s side starts throbbing again, and Kate slides a hand under the blanket to probe the injury. She can feel the spot around it swollen, hot and tender, and that raises some questions.

“You didn’t sew it up?”

“A curse was placed inside.”

“Wow, you must have sucked at your job; no wonder they hunted your ass.” Kate huffs. “You left the wound open, are you thinking of dragging the curse out with a cursor?”

“I have to wait another few hours before I close the wound; the flesh is too tender,” Alina said, as though in response to Kate’s biting sarcasm.

Realizing what it entails, the brunette closes her eyes to force in her frustration. “I’m thirsty.”

The Strega hangs her head low, choosing to not look Kate in the eyes. “You can’t eat or drink yet.”

Kate glowers at the raven-haired lady. “So, what, I’m just supposed to sit here and be useless?”

“Don’t make things difficult,” Alina warns, solemnly. “Kannika is risking her life scouting the parameter for any dangers, just so that you can heal without any complications. Seras, too. The least you can do is be good and follow my instructions.”

Even if she doesn’t like this, Kate still knows that she must abide; she’s injured and weak, if they get attacked, she won’t be able to save herself, let alone her master. But it still doesn’t change the fact. “I really hate this.”

“I know.” Alina places a hand on Kate’s knee, her lips breaking into a small smile. “Just humor me, please?” The softened expression suddenly gives Kate all sorts of fuzzy feelings, and like an idiot, she momentarily forgets their grudge. “Great. I’m going to help you lie down again, is that alright with you?”

“Do I have a choice?”

Wordlessly, Alina approaches Kate, now gently pulling her from the legs while the injured cups her wound and skids lower to lie down.

“Atta girl,” Alina breathes out, now looking at all of Kate as though looking to pinpoint a mistake in her position. “Try to get some rest before I operate on you, can you do that?”

She doesn’t need to request that because Kate is already feeling her eyelids closing, and that kind of pushes the talk to a stop, Kate looking on at what resides outside the entrance, hanging between wakefulness and sleep, Alina picking the stick again and stroking the firewood with a grim face.

The next time Kate wakes up, there’s no Alina in sight, and no fire inside the fire ring, which means the lady has been gone for a while. There’s a plastic water bottle next to her head when she lolls it to look away from the ceiling, with a piece of paper leaned on it that reads “Take small sips. Don’t eat anything. I’ll come back tomorrow to check on you.”

Groaning, the brunette stretches a little to clap the bottle in her hand, but the noise prompts her master who finally wakes up from the forced slumber. As she watches, the Werewolf rises from its nest, making huffing noises, perhaps at the residue of the dust on its face or the memory of its enemy taking it out in the speed of light, and then sharpens its senses after having spent a long time unguarded.

The Werewolf locates Kate, who smiles at the opportunity to finally see her master awake despite the crimson eyes, and approaches her on four. Although it’s still clothed in heavy wears, its appearance is all disheveled, and it definitely needs a comb to tame its unruly hair; both of them are in need of a bath, but they’re alive and that’s what counts.

“Hey, there!” Kate beckons the Werewolf closer so she can touch its head. “That was a long nap, wasn’t it?” The Werewolf reaches Kate and rests its cheek on her opened palm, purring at the first contact. “How are you feeling now? Did the dust cause any other symptoms?”

The Were doesn’t respond, of course, but it _does_ scent the air, flaring its nostrils and taking in all the chemical signals, and filtering them. It ducks lower toward Kate’s belly, smelling the area with a deep frown.

“What’s the matter?” Kate props her head off the floor to look. “Is it the wound, you know I was injured…” Just to be on the safe side, Kate peels the blanket off her, revealing the new and clean gauze wrapped around her belly. She feels the flesh around where the wound is supposed to be, sensing that it’s no longer tender, a little hot but nonetheless healthier than before. “She must have pulled the curse out,” Kate points out. “I guess I worried for nothing.”

The magic practitioner, then, regrets the way she treated the Strega, concluding that it was unfair to blame her for everything. Kate doesn’t know Alina’s situation that well to judge; it’s like the woman said, even if Alina came to her for help, Kate would have probably looked the other way.

Then she notices the Werewolf scenting away from the wound, and over her lower abdomen.

The last time Kate saw this creature was over three months ago, and that was when they bonded, but this creature isn’t really thinking what Kate thinks it is.

“I’m” she lets out a raspy breath, embarrassed by the thought alone. “I’m not carrying.” The Werewolf acts as though it didn’t hear or understand, so Kate rephrases, “I’m not pregnant.”

It’s true that, for wolves, mating seasons can be anywhere between January and April, but, even if it’s April, Integra Hellsing isn’t a wolf and Kate doesn’t experience estrus cycles; though one can argue that with the way she gets turned on after one glimpse of her master.

“Do you want us to try again?”

She’s been operated on, and, although she feels no pain in her side, she still needs to be careful not to reopen the wound, but seducing the Werewolf like this is not a wise precaution.

Maybe she’s just a pervert.

Kate pulls the Werewolf closer to her as she lies back properly on the floor, using the other hand to remove the blanket completely off her.

“Alina won’t be back until tomorrow-” Kate sits up a little and whispers inside the Werewolf’s pointy ear. “So do whatever you want to me.”

As a response, the Werewolf’s eyes glow even redder, its Alpha instincts stirring to mate with Kate and breed her, this bare, savage notion sets Kate’s body on fire, and she doesn’t know if it’s her desires or a fever spreading.

Kate’s eyes roll behind her head at the sensation of the Were’s tongue gliding under her earlobe and along her neckline, but she does her best to remain in the here and now, using her hands to take the Werewolf’s clothes off, starting with the filthy coat, then the blazer and down to the dress shirt. She’s interrupting the wolf’s ministrations to her neck, but this is necessary if they want to take it any farther; that’s why she doesn’t stop until Sir Integra is only in her trousers.

Those will have to go, too.

As the Werewolf purrs and huffs onto her skin, Kate struggles against the shudders coursing through her to undress the creature instead.

“Did you miss me, huh?” Kate’s breath is gradually growing labored. “Under that thick layer of ice, did you think of me at all?”

The Werewolf growls near Kate’s ear, but she can sense no warning in it, only impatience, because she feels it too. Even with sane Integra Hellsing, Kate can’t feel her the way she feels the Werewolf, and that’s probably because Sir Integra still refuses to give all of herself to Kate.

Being done with undoing the belt and unzipping the pants, Kate shoves them down along with the boxers, and ushers the Wolf to remove them the rest of the way while she fondles the cock growing rigid in her small fists.

“You’re already leaking so much precum here!” Kate hisses lengthily, rejoicing at the way her fingers start glowing with a gloss of precum. “God, I can’t wait to have this inside me...”

Incited by its urges, the Werewolf’s hips start thrusting into the two hands fisting its cock, tossing its head back and letting out prolonged deep groans.

“You like that, huh?” Kate moans, feeling her pussy heating up and dripping, twitching on itself. “You want to fuck me?” unable to handle it anymore, Kate ducks towards the cock to lick it.

Sir Integra’s wolf lets out small grunts of pleasure, head remaining tossed to the back.

Kate soon wraps her lips around the cock’s head, before stooping to take every inch of it inside her mouth. She pulls back, only to push forward and drive the cock to the back of her throat again. The action makes her eyes water and her throat complain, but, oddly enough, she finds it quite comforting.

It’s true that the most favorable scenario is them back in London, having an easy access to hygiene, and to a kitchen; Kate is fucking starving. However, their reality is different, and, knowing them, this situation right here with them cooped up inside a cave about to copulate, it’s actually very consoling.

Kate is only happy that she isn’t here by herself, fighting to stay alive. Well, she wouldn’t dislike a better setup for her master, but it is what it is, and she prefers this over any other different ending.

Unhurriedly, the brunette lies back on the ground, the cock following her mouth. After some shifting around, Kate manages to find a suitable position where she can suck her master’s cock and rub her pussy at the same time. The Werewolf has looked down the moment Kate started moving, its eyes tailing Kate’s hand that goes under her panties.

With a hand, Kate holds the stiff cock in place and laps on its head with her tongue, the other hand under her panties, rubbing her clits clockwise. And from the corner of her eyes, she notices the Werewolf wanting to rub her as well, but she stops it.

“It’s fine,” she says upon pulling her lips off the cock with a slurp. “I think this is enough. Come on, I want this inside me now.” She gives a slight squeeze to the cock at that.

The wolf’s been crawling all over the forest on four, of course Kate doesn’t want its hand anywhere on her crotch. She can’t imagine another infection beside the curse that was placed inside her.

The Werewolf nuzzles Kate’s neck as it repositions itself, settling between its mate’s legs. The girl takes her underwear off, and grabs the undershirt on the pile at the side to spread it under her crotch level; knowing the Werewolf, this is going to be messy.

She’s still righting the piece of garment when she feels the Werewolf nudging the crown of its cock against Kate’s entrance. The girl forgoes what she is doing and relaxes back, letting the wolf take control from here.

Since it’s been a while since they’ve done it, Kate feels every burn and stretch of her inner flesh as the cock drills its way inside, making her wither and moan. She holds onto the blanket and forces herself to get used to the feeling already; this creature isn’t fond of fighting its carnal urges.

“Oh, _fuck_ …” Kate wheezes, finding that she can barely breathe with the added stuffing. She’s noticed it before, but the transformation only stresses the size change more. That thing inside her is going to knot her, stretching her skin even more, and when it’s done doing that, it’s going to unload inside of her and give her the best of orgasms.

Not bad.

The Werewolf pushes its hips, a curious shove to test how deep it can thrust, but it’s enough to cause Kate a spinal arch. It fixes its position, pressing its hands against the back of Kate’s knees and pushing them farther from each other and down, closer to her chest, and that’s how Kate knows she’s done for.

It can never be perfectly explained, even if Kate used every word in the dictionary; this fulfilling sensation will remain the biggest mystery in her life.

Using its central weight, the Werewolf has lifted its knees off the ground to facilitate the feat of pounding Kate’s pussy without rest, while the girl only sobs in absolute pleasure.

If there are predators outside and the rain is what confuses them, Kate’s whimpers will certainly fix that for them; everything echoes inside this cave, doubling the noise.

The Werewolf doesn’t even stop for a breather, but Kate has seen it fall into a coma so it probably has no wish to go back to sleep any time soon; perfect.

Kate uses a hand to fondle her breasts, the other going to her clits as she felt the climax looming on her. “Just like that, baby” she gasps through another whimper. “Make me cum, please!”

If she didn’t think it was possible, the Werewolf changes that resolve for her as it picks up pace, thrusting even faster and deeper than it has before, causing Kate’s breasts and her necklace to bounce back and forth with its intense velocity.

“Oh, God! Integra! I’m coming” she mewls. “I’m coming!”

The thrusting eases as Kate enjoys her orgasm, white flashes in her crossed eyes and no breath in her widely open mouth. The Werewolf’s red eyes read Kate’s expression, sliding its cock in and out of Kate’s pussy so slowly it should burn!

Unable to take it, Kate hugs her master for some anchor, but she doesn’t notice herself digging her nails into her master’s back and dragging, as though riding the Werewolf’s tormenting rhythm.

This thing can fuck.

As it passes over, Kate finally returns to her body, lungs gasping for air and limbs wrapping around her mate for the same desirable support.

“Integra!” She breathes out, chest rising up and down. “Sir, please. Please, baby.”

What she’s pleading for can be argued, but it can also mean that she simply wants to feel more of that again.

The Werewolf rights its position again, propping on its knees, hugging Kate as well and burrowing its face in her neck, before snapping its hips again.

Kate looks towards the entrance of the cave; when she woke up earlier, there was still some natural light out there, but it looks completely dark now. The Werewolf knotted a while ago, and it won’t go down anytime soon so they must stay like this for who knows how long.

Undisturbed, Kate seizes the chance to caress her master’s hair, her arms and her back, while enjoying the sweet flutter of her master’s lips on her neck.

“I’m really glad you’re here with me,” Kate starts, voice sounding calm in the quiet. “I mean I never wanted this to happen, but since it did, I really appreciate you for being here. Otherwise, I’d have felt so alone.” The Werewolf only purrs into Kate’s ear in response. “I didn’t think we’d meet again, to be honest. Sir Integra started locking herself on every full moon night, and it was heartbreaking.”

To express itself on the matter, the Werewolf makes a small whimpering noise, its arms around Kate tightening their hold which makes Kate laugh.

“Well,” Alina’s voice interrupts their peace. “That looks uncomfortable.”

Sir Integra’s wolf roars at the intruder who’s just stepped out of the rift carrying bags, and Kate hurries to soothe its anger.

“It’s alright!” Kate exclaims. “She’s not an enemy.”

“I’m not a friend either.”

"You're not helping!" Kate is hugging her mate to contain it and using a hand to cover herself and the master, but her stare remains piercing on the Strega. “You said on the note that you’d come back tomorrow, so what are you doing here now?”

There’s this look of bewilderment that crosses Alina’s expression for a second. “I wrote that yesterday.”

Kate mimics her expression. “I was out for two days?”

“A day and a half, to be precise,” Alina said, pressing her lips together and making her way to where Sir Integra was sleeping earlier. “When did he knot?”

Clearing her throat, Kate says, “A while ago.”

“I don’t have the entire day.” Alina drops the bags on the floor and stands beside the rumbled blanket. “Tell him to unload so I can check on your wound.”

Kate cranes her neck to look at the woman like she’s lost her mind. “Not while you’re here.”

Alina dismisses her with a flick of her hand. “It’s not something I didn’t see before,” she insists. “Just hurry up and finish so I can leave.”

“Alina, you’re being so rude right now.” Kate cups the back of her master’s head when she felt her growling at Alina.

“You’ve got magic so you know how exhausting opening the rift can be.” The Strega swivels to glare at Kate, her hands on her hips in a very authoritative way. “I’m not leaving here until you let me check the wound.”

Okay, that’s true. Still. “At least wait outside,” Kate mutters. “We can’t do it with you here.”

Rolling her eyes exasperatedly, Alina flings her hands in the air before making her way towards the entrance. “Just make it quick.”

Kate waits until Alina is outside before she uses her heel to tap the Werewolf’s backside. “I know it’s still a little early, but I don’t think we have a choice,” she said, now planting languid kisses all over her mate’s face.

The Werewolf snarls at Kate because it felt her pulling away from the knot and causing herself pain, and perhaps interpreting it as Kate rejecting the knot.

“Come on, baby,” Kate urges, rolling her hips and hoping that would stir the Werewolf a little. “I want to carry your pups as soon as possible, so give it to me.”

The only way she can make the Werewolf believe that she isn’t rejecting its knot is by making it believe that she’d rather hurry the process up for the final result instead, which works, as the Werewolf braces its arms on the floor and tries to pull out.

Prior lubrication probably wasn’t abundant enough for this, but Kate realizes, a little too late, that forcing the knot out so early is only causing her unimaginable pain.

Digging her nails into her master’s back, Kate cries. “Sir!” She is panting shallowly to keep the pain at bay and feel the good tremors. “Sir Integra, baby…”

Said master is thrusting away, forcing its cum deeper into Kate’s womb and causing her a full-bodied shudder. And Kate comes again, hard, toes curling, teeth sinking into her master’s neck and a world-shattering scream tears out of her chest, echoing outside the cave.

The cock is yanked out harshly, then, as Kate lies there with her legs parted and her hole sore, puffy and leaking. It’s a good thing she spread out the shirt under her ass, otherwise this would have ended in a disaster.

“Are you done?”

Kate hears Alina’s footsteps approaching and Sir Integra’s growls growing more vicious. She needs to calm her master and kick Alina’s ass, but she finds she can’t even utter a single word. The formation of the cave’s ceiling feels like it’s about to come down on top of her, her heart is beating inside her throat and everything is spinning.

“Kate?”

The growls fall silent, and Alina’s footsteps grow into a scurry but she’s soon stopped by the Werewolf.

“I’m trying to help!” Alina bellows. “Look at her bloody bandage, the wound has reopened! I need to sew it up again.”

As the two argue one snarling and the other throwing threats, Kate gathers all of her strength to prop herself on her elbows.

“Integra?” She rasps out. “Let her through; I need her.”

The two finish their glaring contest before the Werewolf moves out of the Strega’s way, allowing her closer contact to its mate.

Alina has rushed to Kate’s side carrying her bags, and now she splays them on the ground in order to take a better inspection of Kate.

“Of all the organizations to mess with, you picked Hellsing’s?” She marvels. “Their boss is like, what, forty two?”

“Thirty nine,” Kate corrects with a wan smile, her eyes on her master who’s peering at her over Alina’s shoulder.

“That doesn’t change the fact that he’s too old for you.” Kate disagrees. “And since we’re on the topic, doesn’t he look like the love child of Tilda Swinton and Grace Jones?”

“The hot version of both,” Kate hums, her pupils wandering. “My master is so hot and sexy. And very hot. Very.”

“You’re just sleep-talking now,” Alina notes out, worrying her brows. “Are you spiking a fever? Your skin feels pretty clammy again.”

Kate shakes her head, or that’s what she thinks she’s doing. “’m fine, a bit –bit dizzy.”

“And you’re slurring your words, excellent.” The Strega rummages in her bag for something. “What else?”

“H-headache, intense.”

Alina pauses to ask. “You’re not feeling nauseated, are you?”

Kate swallows, making the muscles in her neck jut out for a second. “’m not.”

“Good,” the woman returns her eyes to her bags. “So it’s not the infection, it’s the magic in your blood reacting. Of course you had to go and have sex, not thinking of the consequences of your actions. Did you really think that intercourse is what you need right now?”

Kate pouts, hating the words but admitting their truth.

“I’m not trying to be a dick here” –Alina finally takes out scissors, new gauze wrap and other small boxes– “but what you’ve done is not only risky, but it’s going to delay your healing process. You won’t be able to eat soon. I hope you can understand just how bad this is.”

“I do,” she really does, “but-but I haven’t seen’ the wolf for months.”

“I’d like to say that I don’t care about your reasons, but I have to care, because you’re my patient.” Alina rests her hands on her knees like a Japanese wife in front of an altar, and sighs. “I’m gonna have to put you to sleep again. Don’t worry about Wolfman here, he’s going to be alright with me.”

Nodding, Kate stares up at her mate, before the image of sparkly red eyes imploring her changes into darkness…


	13. The Hoary Lycan Reappears

“Kate?”

Another rogue wave washes over her and Kate struggles not to get completely overtaken, hoping to find the source of this disembodied voice somewhere in this turbulent sea.

“You have to wake up.”

In a flash, Kate’s eyes snap open, eye pupils dilating in the dimness of the cave. She swallows her lump before letting out a small breath. “What is it?”

Alina is peering down at her with furrowed brows. “You’re up, good. I need to leave now, but I’d hate to leave you by yourself.”

There’s a sour taste in the back of her tongue that makes Kate smack her lips. She groans and says as a matter-of-fact, “I’m not by myself.”

“Yeah, about that…” Alina trails off, hoping Kate will get the implication.

The brunette prompts up at that, craning her neck to look inside the cave for her master, finding only the Strega with her. Panic strikes her from every angle, and she pushes herself to sit up with Alina’s help. “Where –what happened?”

Kate fears that someone from the coven has found them and took her master; that used to be a worst-case scenario, but Kate has become too open to the idea of things going down the drain that she seriously believes that.

“As soon as he came back to his senses, he told me to look over you so he’d go look for Seras” –Alina is balling a few pieces of clothing and stuffing them between Kate’s back and the wall– “He’s been gone for hours now, but I can’t stay here for long.”

“I need to go after them.” Kate attempts to lift up but Alina pushes her down as gently as possible, the girl looks up in reproach. “What?”

“You’re not feeling any pain because of the potion I made you drink, but you were operated on only a few hours ago. If you go prowling inside those woods, there’s no guarantee that the wound won’t reopen. I’m not going to keep sewing you up; I’ve got better things to take care of.”

Kate hates that Alina makes a really good point.

“Look,” the Strega kneels beside Kate, her hands on her thighs. “I think it’s wise if you refrain from using any magic for the next few weeks, at least until you feel strong again.”

“Why is that?”

“Like I said before, Lucy’s black arts are supposed to be deadly, and I barely managed to extract it from you. However, it seems like it’s already affected some organs, which is going to take a while to heal.”

Upon hearing that, Kate’s arm winds around her belly, the palm settling over the wound. A memory suddenly strikes her and she glowers up at Alina. “Did I bleed from the wound?”

Cocking her head, the raven-haired asks, “Why do you ask that?”

Kate uses the other hand to finger the marks on her neck. “I used a spell a while back to keep myself from bleeding, but right before I passed out, I heard you yell something about my bloody gauze.”

“Oh, that!” Alina curls her lips and looks downward. “I just said that to scare your Alpha. You didn’t bleed or anything. The operation went smoothly.”

Relieved, Kate sighs heavily. “Thank you,” she said, and added “for everything.”

“Are you thanking me for getting you involved in my shit?”

Kate scrutinizes the amused look in Alina’s eyes, which is weird considering the remorse she hears in the woman’s tone. “Everything was meant to happen, for me to learn more about the Vedmak and for you to get your freedom back.”

“That’s quite comforting, especially when it’s coming from you.”

“I need to start looking at the good things in my life, otherwise nothing will make sense.” Kate brushes her greasy hair to the back. “Besides, I believe in destiny, and I believe you and I were meant to meet. I’m not sure what for, but I have to trust in that.”

Alina smiles brightly. “Do you think this is the only time we were meant to meet?”

Kate’s eyes hold Alina’s for a second, and she shrugs. “I have no clue whatsoever,” absolutely none. “But I have faith that this isn’t the only time.”

The woman suddenly looks dismayed, her smirk falling. “Kate, this is goodbye.”

No, not when they were starting to be something close to friends; in fact, Kate would like to learn the arts of medicine from Alina. And, to be true, with everything that has happened, Alina is not really a bad person; in fact, she’s interesting, and Kate is always intrigued by interesting people.

Her hand grabs Alina’s reflexively, causing said woman to stare at it before flicking her eyes to Kate’s. Snap. She probably thinks Kate wishes to harm her before the chance is taken away from her.

“When am I going to see you again?”

That’s probably not what the woman expected, which is why she scoffs, still not removing Kate’s hand from hers. “Do you _want_ to see me again?”

This sounds a little… _off_.

“I mean,” Kate starts, clearing her throat, “It would be nice, or something?” That doesn’t sound convincing, not even to her own ears. “But I would be delighted if we’d, you know, see each other again.”

While she wets her lips at a nervous pace, she notices Alina mimicking her action, albeit at a much slower pace.

“I’m not much of a believer, Kate, but if that’s what you want, I’ll make sure we see each other again,” Alina said, now leaning forward with a smug look in her eyes.

Since she ponders everything, Kate is still in the process of understanding what the woman is hinting at when she feels soft lips touching hers. With a moan, she pulls away, because she’s mated _and_ in love with Sir Integra, but Alina brushes their lips together again and Kate feels the back of her head being pressed against the wall.

Alina pulls away with a sneer, and the magic practitioner goggles at her with a swollen red mouth; the kiss was so long and wet that their lips smacked when the Strega stopped.

“You taste like ginger and lemon.” Alina licks her lips. “Probably because of the potion I gave you earlier.”

“What –what was that for?” Kate isn’t angry, not per se; she’s just annoyed that Alina acts however she wants without speaking of her intentions first.

Shrugging, the woman lifts up and sways her hand, the action forcing the rift open mid-air. “I’m happy to make your acquaintance, Kate,” she said. “As soon as Your Alpha and the beta are back, get out of these woods.”

That’s all she says before walking into the rift and vanishing, leaving Kate in a dire state of confusion as she watches the rift close on its own. Okay. She’ll think about this later. Right now, she needs to find Sir Integra and Seras before someone else does.

With a groan, Kate manages to leave that cacophony of unwashed blankets and dead skin; the shirt Kate used before must have been tossed away or burned, good riddance!

Using the wall as support, Kate skids closer to the Werewolf’s nest, hoping to find a cleaner garment to cover her body with, but approaching padding of footsteps outside the entrance bring her actions to an abrupt stop. She stares wide-eyed as two silhouettes enter, the taller one ducking to not hit its head with the cave’s ceiling.

“Kate!”

Seras’ chirping voice resonates inside, and it’s the happiest sound Kate’s heard in days.

“Seras!” Kate fumbles with the blanket, lifting it up to her shoulders for some decency. “I’m so happy you’re here; I mean, I’m not happy _because_ you got involved in this, I’m just saying that it’s good to see you, considering–”

Seras cuts her off. “I know, Kate. It’s good to see, too.”

Kate looks away from the disheveled-looking blonde and her shimmering blue eyes, and at her master, who’s managed to put on her dress shirt and trousers, but the curse’s effect are also back, marring the side of her face with dark veins and turning the color of her eyes into a blood red shade.

“Sir?”

After a poignant pause where Kate’s eyes roamed in her master’s, Sir Integra, still barefooted, steps forward, making her way towards her mate.

“Where’s the other witch?”

Sir Integra’s voice sounds as deep as ever, and just as velvety, Kate finds. “Um,” she straightens up, her voice trembling. “She left. But she did say that we’d better leave here quickly.”

Seras follows not far behind, her breasts bouncing in tandem with her stiff stomping. “She was right,” she announces. “Someone unleashed the Hound, and let me tell you, it’s the biggest I’ve seen in my life.”

That blows! “What about the rest of the coven members?”

“We’ve managed to kill them all, Kannika and I.” Seras circles Kate with her arms until the girl thinks they’re going for a hug, but Seras simply wraps the blanket around Kate before lifting her, her arms one behind the brunette’s back and the other under her knees. “I found a village and alerted the Headquarters; they’ve sent a helicopter. We must leave now.”

So they came back for Kate?

One of Kate’s hands cups her wound and the other rounds Seras’s shoulders. “Where’s Kannina now?”

“I don’t know.” Seras shakes her head. “We parted ways after killing the last of the witches from the coven; she pointed me towards the direction of the village and left.”

“Alright, you two” Sir Integra starts, “Try to remain quiet until we get to the helicopter.”

It’s drizzling outside, the partly-sunny sky provides enough light for the two walking to find their footing amidst the fog. The rain is gentle, but Kate still brings the dank blanket up from the middle to make sure the wound doesn’t get wet.

It must be somewhere around seven or eight in the morning, which, Kate grumbles, is too early for fleeing. She’s hungry, so hungry she’d eat anything she’s handed at this point.

From the look on Sir Integra’s face, she seems set on her goal and Kate would hate to distract her, but the girl wonders if her master remembers anything from their time in the cave. She knows it isn’t wise to ask. Besides, it’s too serious to be talking about sentiments and feelings.

What day is it today? And how long have they been in that cave?

Kate must smell.

A roar reverberates across the woods, making the earth shake. The two come to a halt, eyes looking about and head turning to all directions, hoping to remain undetected.

Kate can open a portal for them, but Alina didn’t leave until she’d warned Kate not to use her magic for a while; going against her instruction so soon won’t turn out good for the girl. She suddenly feels a prickle inside the wound, growing intense the closer the roars get.

“Quickly”

The master utters quietly, Seras nods and sprints forward, and Kate tightens her hold on the girl, hating that her body is being jerked about so much and fearing that the wound will reopen. She looks over Seras’ shoulder, finding the master running behind them, the dead twigs and the scattered pebbles injuring her bare feet.

Just beyond the trees they’ve run past, Kate catches sight of a massive shape moving from one place to another as swiftly as wind. From Seras’ talk earlier and from what Gertrude told her, Kate immediately recognizes what that thing is.

“It’s caught up!”

Both Seras and Sir Integra keep running, but still look behind as the giant, ballistic beast comes into view, it looks like a nightmarish monster with its mangled black fur and glowing red eyes, chasing after them with its fanged mouth salivating.

“You two go, I’ll distract it.”

Kate goes stiff at what her master’s just said. “What? No!”

Nobody listens to Kate, especially not the master; why would she? She always does what she wants and expects people to go with it.

The master changes direction, hoping the demonic dog would follow her so the other two will get to the chopper in one piece.

“Sir!” Kate struggles against Seras’ hold. “What are you doing, are you trying to get yourself killed or what?”

“Stop moving around so much, I might drop you.” Seras hisses, never slowing her pace.

The beast goes after Sir Integra, and the two disappear from sight amongst the trees.

“Seras!” Kate cries, trying to pull away from Seras’ strong embrace. “They’re gone, she’s gone!” When the blonde’s strong grip doesn’t let up, Kate finds no other option but to punch her way out. “Let me go! Put me down, now!”

“Enough!” Seras’ voice thunders between the tree lines. “Sir Integra gave me an order and I must follow it.”

“I don’t care!” Because Seras is loyal to her master to a fault, Kate knows beating and scratching are not going to get her out of this. “Don’t do this, please. She’s going to be cut into shreds!”

“We’re almost there, Kate.” Seras ignores Kate’s pleas completely. “Just hang on.”

“Seras!” Kate resumes the onslaught, hitting Seras’ shoulders and hoping it’s painful enough for the vampire to let her down. “You can’t do this to me!” What brings her pitiful scrap to a stop is the roar she hears again, followed by the same prickling sensation under her skin.

Hold on a minute, after Sir Integra gave Kate the bite, she was able to call for her during her canine state. The calling howl always gives Kate throbbing neck pain. It should be the same in this situation; Alina already gave Kate painkillers so it doesn’t make sense that she’s feeling pain now, unless…

The giant Hound reappears again, chasing after them and breaking down trees in its frenzy; Kate assumes Alina was lying about the storm thing if it’s this beast that’s been causing the forest multiple bald spots.

“Sir Integra!” Kate calls, knowing that, wherever the master is, she can hear her. “It’s no use distracting it, because it’s following the source of the curse!”

Which is still unconceivable, didn’t Alina extract it from Kate’s guts?

The master also shows up from the left side of the pathway, her violent motions causing the fog she emerged from to snake after her.

“Are you the source of the curse?”

Kate’s eyes catch her master’s. “I’m not certain, but every time it growls, I feel pain in my wound.” As the other two remain silent, Kate concludes it’s wise to simplify things for them. “The High Witch placed a curse inside my body, and Alina barely managed to remove it. I’m still in the healing process which means the wound still radiates the curse’s dark energy, and that Hound is drawn to it.”

She can’t tell them about the dull neck pain she gets whenever the wolf calls for her, since she already told them no bond was created and so the former statement would debunk that.

“That’s just great,” Sir Integra comments after a curt pause.

“There it is!” Seras suddenly exclaims, shifting Kate’s attention to the helicopter waiting in the vast clearing.

They won’t make it at this rate; the Hound is hell bent on getting to Kate first. If they get on the helicopter, the Hound will pounce on it, and since he’s bigger, the helicopter will topple and fall.

“Seras,” Kate starts, deciding it’s better to say this before they actually reach the clearing. “That thing is not going to let me leave in peace. Put me down and go.” Seras is already shaking her head. “I’ll open a portal and meet you in London.”

The blonde’s unkempt hair and blood-sputtered face and clothes have told Kate the kind of fight the vampiress has gone through in the past few days, and she doesn’t want to make her go through more.

“You know what I’m saying is the only way.” Kate smiles up at the blonde. “There’s no point dallying here for me; you already came back to the cave for me and that’s more than I can ever ask for. However, I won’t be able to leave with you on that helicopter, do you understand?”

“Enough” it’s Sir Integra who interjects. “Nobody is going to be left behind.”

“The Hound won’t hesitate to attack all of you, even if it meant bringing the helicopter down from the sky!” Kate seethes. “I’ll use the portal, so you won’t be leaving anyone behind.”

As they finally reach the turbulent orbit of the helicopter, Kate considers elbowing Seras under the jaw so she’d let her go; the magic-user wasn’t lying, she is planning to use the portal, and if it doesn’t open just like the fire that didn’t start back in the cave, then come whatever…

Seras places Kate’s blanketed body on the seats with no armrests, and, in an attempt to keep the girl from struggling to her feet, Seras uses the seatbelts to strap her to the spot.

“Get me out of these!” Kate shrieks, but her eyes land on the beast heading their way at a marvelous speed. Sir Integra is outside the cabin, which is quite worrisome on its own. “Sir!”

The master snaps out of her thoughts and leaps back inside the cabin, hitting the ceiling with the side of her punch and shouting at the pilot to fly the helicopter.

As the rotorcraft lifts off the ground, the three inside the cabin stare on in horror at the beast that leaps forward, adamant on bringing everyone down, which is what Kate said would happen, but another giant beast springs through the air and jumps at the Hound, it’s jaws clamping down on the Hound’s neck.

“I can’t believe it,” Seras sounds absolutely fascinated, “A lycanthrope...?”

Intrigued, Kate demands to be freed from her bindings, but it’s not Seras who frees her, it’s her master. The girl quiets down, only watching her master work the straps open to release her. After that, she gets guided to the open door, Sir Integra’s big hands keeping a strong grip on Kate so she wouldn’t fall, especially since she’s been weakened by sickness.

At first, all Kate sees is fog covering the mountain, but a patch of woodless land where the helicopter was stationed earlier shows her two enormous beasts posturing and challenging each other, both on haunches and ready to pounce. She identifies the Hound, but the other looks nothing like it, with its beautiful silver fur and shining red eyes.

The two beasts attack after some time spent circling one another, piercing each other’s bodies with sharp fangs and long claws; it looks deadly but Kate is only happy they weren’t caught in it.

“Wait a minute,” Seras frowns after having been so mesmerized by the fight. “I think I’ve seen that gray wolf before.”

“Are you sure?” The master asks, eyes on the two canines fighting.

“Yes, definitely!” judging by her tone, Seras herself can’t believe it. “He was so monstrous in battle, but also… chivalrous.”

“You can’t be speaking of…” The master trails off, her frown deepening.

“I know it sounds crazy, but, yeah, I think it’s him.”

“But you said you killed him ” Sir Integra’s grip on Kate’s body tightens. “It’s either you thought you killed him or you simply lied about killing him.”

“I _did_ kill him!” Seras grits out, and then murmurs, more to herself “I don’t understand what’s going on here.”

Neither does Kate, to be honest.

A shrill whistle interrupts their talk, echoing inside the woods like pealing bells at dawn. The Hound retreats from the fight, head ducked and tail tucked, snarling at its foe to not make any sudden movements as it trails back into the fog, disappearing inside of it.

Kate narrows her eyes having spotted a clothed person perched on top of a pine tree, and immediately recognizes the hellish fiend who owes her one now, apparently, for giving her a little of a head start back inside the coven.

“Is that its master?” Seras wonders aloud.

“The Hound is owned by the coven; this makes no sense.” Kate answers.

The Vedmak jumps down, despite the massive height, he dives into the fog with visible ease. With him gone, the three inside the cabin return their eyes to the clearing, finding that the silver Lycanthrope has also disappeared. 


	14. Paul & Silar Or Zeus & Hermes

Five days, that’s how long they’ve spent in that dank and dim cave, five long, dirty, blank and (sometimes) pain-filled days, which is why Kate is thrilled to be back to Headquarter.

The maids must have already been informed about their arrival because Kate finds them lined in the entrance hall, Zuri and Ian absent; probably because of school. How pointless it is to bring up Kate’s embarrassment about her attire; nobody expected her to show up dressed in a blanket, but, somehow, she made it possible. Walter, as briskly and concisely as ever, instructs Chati to serve Seras, Katrina to take care of Kate, and Tess to wait for the master’s orders.

“What the hell happened to you?” Katrina asks as she wraps her arm around Kate’s back to help her up the stairs.

Kate dismisses it with a shake of her head. “I’d like to hug you but I stink. Can you find me some gauze and duct tape, please?”

Katrina furrows her brows. “What do you need them for?”

She’d like to mummify the piss out of herself. What do you think, Katrina? It’s already pretty obvious why she would need those, which is why Kate doesn’t bother explaining it to Katrina. Besides, the girl will come around and figure it out on her own eventually.

“I’m starving,” Kate breathes out as they finally reach the top of the staircase. “Tell me that the food is ready, I’m begging you.” She beseeches with her doleful eyes on Katrina’s. “Tell me the most delicious food has already been prepared!”

“Of course it has!” Katrina beams. “Mrs. Marcy finished all the preparations. We were only waiting for you to arrive.”

“Thank goodness!” Kate’s knees almost give out with relief. “Finally, I can eat to my heart’s content.”

“It must have been pretty tough, huh?” Katrina comments. “You were gone for days.”

As they reach the door to her room, Kate pauses and glances up at the raven-haired lady, her chapped lips quirking into a smile. “Katrina, I appreciate what you’re trying to do, I really do, but I don’t want to talk about it.” The other girl acknowledges that; working in this place, there are always things that you can’t talk about. “I need the tape and gauze before I shower, so could you please bring them to me quickly, I’m depending on you?”

“Sure thing, honey.” Katrina returns the smile with one of her own.

“Thank you so much,” Kate means it.

The door doesn’t even creak when Kate pushes it open, nor does it squeak when she closes it again after entering. She stands there in the scattered sunlight, eying the clean-washed bedding set and the nicely-tidied room. A breeze travels in through the open balcony door, carrying the scent of wet dirt and dewed tree leaves, and that’s all Kate needs to feel human again…

She’s nestled on the armchair, after having showered, changed into cleaner clothes and eating everything on the trolley table Katrina brought to her room earlier, Kate picked a throw blanket and seated herself on the armchair, facing the balcony’s closed glass door and looking at the scattered clouds that remind Kate of the annual red crab migration, sweeping past the mansion, not seeming to be in a hurry at all.

A knock on the door brings her out of her blissful state and to her inconsistent reality.

“Come in,” she isn’t in any pain, she smells amazing and she’s finally comfortable in her own skin, so socializing now sounds agreeable.

The door opens and Sir Integra comes in, giving Kate’s heart a little shock. As the girl corrects her position, the master ushers someone else in. Kate lifts curious brows, but they soon crease over her forehead at the sight of Dr. Potts trotting in with his bag and hat in his hands.

“Dr. Potts!” Kate feigns all nuances of someone irritated yet still toning out all signs of rudeness in their voice. “What brings you here today?”

“Your wound wasn’t healing so I called for him,” The master said.

“You really didn’t have to,” Kate tells her master, taking in how they’re approaching her silently. “I’m fine.” Besides, with a curse like the one that was placed inside the puncture wound, healing is going to be a long process. Even Kate knows that.

The doctor gives a jittery chuckle. “Let me be the judge of that,” he said, now placing everything on the book table and crouching before Kate. “I hear that you’ve recently had a major operation?”

In her dazed shock, Kate flicks her eyes up to her master, who folds her arms across her chest and nods at Kate to go along with it.

“Um, yeah, yes.” Kate clears her throat. “But I doubt it’s the type you deal with.”

“Don’t worry yourself about that,” he tries to be gentle, but Kate can already sense the unease in his posture and body language; he must be nervous, too. “Come on, show me.”

“I think I’ll pass,” Kate has had enough of baring her body for strangers; besides, she gets that Dr. Potts means well, but she knows for certain that his marvelous expertise won’t help her, considering the nature of her wound.

Sir Integra’s stare isn’t piercing, yet, but it does hold some skepticism.

“Look,” The old man starts, “I know it’s been tough on you; I can see that you’ve lost a lot of weight, and your eyes look fatigued, I understand that the nature of the wound isn’t something I deal with in my regular hours, but I’d like to offer some relief.”

At least he’s admitting to it. Wait, so does that mean that he already knows the nature of the work this organization does? Actually, Kate is stupid for only figuring it out now.

“Do you know how to deal with magic-related wounds?”

Dr. Potts’ chuckle this time sounds bubbly. “I have my share of experience; how about you show me the wound and I tell you whether I can help or not?”

“Go on.” The master juts her chin for the girl to head the order.

Blowing a small sigh, Kate resigns to their demands –her master’s, in particular, peeling the blanket off her upper half and lifting the loose hem of her turtleneck sweater to show the new dressing pad stuck on her left flank.

Without warning her, Dr. Potts removes the pad, the sticky parts pulling on the skin and causing her discomfort. He’s not really gentle, Kate concludes. He pushes his reading glasses up and looks through narrowed eyes, examining every detail of the newly-stitched wound.

“Excellent suturing techniques,” He marvels. “Usually, there are only four types of sutures we use, nylon, proline, silk and polyester, and I’ve used all of them, so I know how they look and feel like, but you see this incision here, it’s been sewed with a different type of thread. I’ve never seen anything like it!”

In his rant, he completely overlooks the little changes in Kate’s posture, how she’s retreating from his studying eyes and pressing against the backrest in a poor attempt to escape the scrutinizing. She isn’t some specimen of a newly-discovered species, and she doesn’t want to be treated like it.

With imploring and uncertain eyes –because Kate still isn’t sure the master will just jump to her aid– she glances up at Sir Integra. The master catches her stare, and by the way her nose flares, she probably even scents Kate’s distress.

“Dr. Potts” she rumbles.

The man almost jumps out of his shoes. He peeks up at the master and then back at Kate, finally clearing his throat. “Anyway,” he whispers. “It doesn’t look to be infected at all. However, I want to stay on the safe side and recommend this antibiotic ointment,” he says as her rummages inside his bag, “Keep the wound clean and dry as much as you can, and don’t bathe for the time being. Soaking it in water may result in slow healing.”

Well, it’s not like Kate doesn’t already know that; this isn’t her first time getting stitches.

The graying man takes out a small containment and places it over the table, before facing Kate again. “I’m very concerned about your weight loss.”

“It’s not because of a condition or illness.”

“I know. I have already been briefed.” He assures her. “Still, we need it treated. Add more quantities of food to your meals from now on, and get plenty of rest.”

“I will,” Kate smiles.

“Try to stay active, do some light exercises like walking so the state of fatigue doesn’t last for long.” He pins Kate with a sharp stare. “I know this might be difficult but try to refrain from any _loud_ activities, at least until your wound has healed.”

Heat soars up Kate’s head and she feels her cheeks blushing. Her eyes meet her master’s, but she averts them quickly.

The doctor re-sticks the pad on the wound and lifts up with a guttural noise. “Well, if that’s all,” he says, now picking up his bag and hat. “I’ll come back in a few days to check on you again.”

“Thank you.”

“Thanks.”

Sir Integra and Kate say in unison.

The doctor nods and fits the hat on his head, adjusting its corners. “No need to show me out,” he tells Sir Integra. “I know my way here now.”

The door clicks closed, and then it’s back to being a soothingly tranquil space.

Kate regards her master with a bashful expression; they’re finally alone together. Not that she’s saying something is going to happen; she just pays attention to these details. She eyes the way the master’s shoulders finally relax and her arms unfold; Kate isn’t inflating the fact that Sir Integra has looked like a gun with the safety off, ready to discharge, but with the Doctor gone and the door closed, it almost looks like Dr. Potts took the uneasiness with him.

“Are you okay?”

Sir Integra faces Kate, clenches and unclenches her fists before choosing the edge of the bed to sit down. “I’m alright.”

“You didn’t have to waste money,” Kate starts, knowing that Dr. Potts doesn’t drop by out of the goodness of his heart. If he’s paying her visits, it means someone is paying him to. “I’m really fine.”

“You think I’m wasting my money?” If anything, the look in the master’s eyes is close to bare curiosity, “Why, because I’m spending it on you?”

“That’s not what I meant,” A surge of defeat seizes Kate in a vice; Sir Integra isn’t really implying what Kate thinks she is. “I just don’t want you to do unnecessary stuff. I know my body and I know I can fight this; if I’m not healing quickly it’s because the curse was cast by the High Witch.”

“What if you’re wrong?” The master’s tone and expression suggest that she’s genuine. “What if your body can’t fight this?”

“It’s not possible,” Kate scoffs. “And even if that were to be the case, and that’s a big if, I’d find a way to turn it around. That’s why magic is interesting; you can always turn something bad into something good.”

It’s no time for reposeful contemplation, Kate knows, but can’t help but lean back and take in all of her master, the way she’s propped her elbows on her parted knees, or how a few strands of black-steel hair cascade her broad shoulders…

Sir Integra interrupts her musings. “Are you planning to eat me with your eyes?”

Kate’s eyes go from looking lusting to smiley very soon, but she remains wordless, her eyes doing all the talking. It’s true that Dr. Potts didn’t leave until he recommended a killing blow to their sex life, but that doesn’t mean flirting isn’t allowed.

“How are you feeling?” Sir Integra asks, and Kate inhales deeply, joy filling her to the brim. The master probably smells it. “You are happy?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Kate sounds a little astounded. “The High Witch is dead but I’m not. I had gone there believing that I’d come back in a box; well, I didn’t come back in the best of conditions either, but, still, I won.”

The master’s stare is deep and long, and the way she hums makes Kate’s nethers tremble.

“I’m happy that I came back here, to you.”

The master, however, chooses to pass over it and focus on Kate’s condition. “Are you in pain?”

“No, I’m not.” She sniffles; if Sir Integra isn’t looking to be in a playful mood, Kate ought to ride the same wave. “Lin used one of her potions to help with the pain.”

“Lin?”

Kate nods, her head lolling to the side so she can look out the balcony’s glass door, just time to catch a few large birds flying towards the horizon. “The Strega, Alina, if that’s really her name.”

Although the aftermath of the commotion is still rippling through their present, Kate’s mind insists on thinking back on the highlights of her perilous journey. Things like how the Vedmak tossed the High Witch’s severed head while her dead eyes bore into Kate’s, or how the silver-furred beast pounced on the Hound or how Alina thought it was funny to kiss Kate like they were two high-school sweethearts.

“It is a little early to bring this up, but I’d like your presence on Friday at the Round Table.” Sir Integra twitches her neck, looking like she’s struggling against her own thoughts. “A delegation from Rome is going to visit in two days, and I’m guessing a report will hardly provide any credibility to our story. So, unless we know what facts to represent, the Iscariots won’t yield.”

Kate wets her lips, expression falling. “I –I’m not really sure I understand,”

“I’ll explain later.” Sir Integra lets out a heavy sigh. “Right now, I need your version of the story with every boring detail. The Archbishop is not a very kind man, and his beef with me always drives him to the extremities; he might even try to take it out on you.”

That’s horrifying, and Kate finds herself chucking her head to the back as if someone’s just sparked a fire near her nose. “Woah, okay, hold on!” She exclaims. “Why do I have to get caught in the crossfire?” It’s enough that Alucard’s always there to take up that position.

“I won’t let it get to that,” Sir Integra promises. “This is just a precaution. I need to prepare you for what’s coming. Also, I’m not certain as to why they’re coming, but I’m ready to bet that breaching Germany’s borders and leaving dead bodies behind caused uproar for the Vatican.”

“I don’t have a problem recounting everything to you, but I don’t think my presence at the Round Table will be necessary.” This is purely said to protect herself from future plans of the people that could run her through. “I can’t put myself at risk like that, that’s not how I work.”

The way Sir Integra nibbles at her bottom lip bespeaks the frustration she’s trying to contain. “You’re the only one who saw what happened to the High Witch,” she reasons. “They’re going to want to know the story from you.” As she takes in Kate’s despaired eyes, suddenly even her tone softens. “Kate, if this causes friction between the two organizations, there’ll be a lot at stake.”

Fine, she’ll do that for Sir Integra, but concessions have to be made. “This is going to be the first and last time you’re ever going to ask me to do this,” Kate said, after having figured what the cause of the friction might be. “I’m not comfortable with the idea of being dragged in your clash of doctrines.”

Despite the unfriendly words, Kate’s tone remains sympathetic, that is probably why Sir Integra doesn’t take it as an offense.

“Understood,” the master nods. “And thank you, the organization won’t disregard your cooperation.”

Kate drawls. “I’m not doing it for the organization.”

She prays her eyes aren’t betraying her, but Kate wonders if that’s really Sir Integra’s cheeks flushing.

“Noted,” the master dips her chin to smile at the floor, and that’s all, that’s all it takes for Kate to fall even deeper.

Kate has finished recounting her story, excluding a thing or two, like Mullo’s intentions to recruit her. Everything sounded pretty conceivable to her: Alina’s plans, Kannika changing sides to help Alina instead, and Mullo’s grudge towards the High Witch. Everything overlaps so beautifully. There is nothing the master can latch on to trap Kate and her secrets, and Kate is proud.

Sir Integra levers up to her feet after questioning a few parts and learning about a few other things, her hands going into her pockets. “This Mullo guy is a very dangerous individual; he’s caused many deaths already. Both the Hellsing and the Iscariot organizations keep crossing paths with his deranged minions.”

“He juggled the High Witch’s severed head in his hand like it was a tangerine; I think I already know how dangerous he is.” Not an understatement.

The air around Sir Integra thickens, becoming harder to breathe.

“What’re you thinking?” Kate asks, eyes narrowing.

As always, the master would rather dwell on things by herself than let Kate in on any of it; it’s getting old, but Sir Integra is resilient. Instead, she goes up to Kate and places a languid kiss to the crown of the brunette’s head.

“I’ll see you later,” she said, now turning to leave, keeping Kate’s queries unanswered.

The magic practitioner glowers at the door that gets opened and closed, before facing the balcony’s door again, thoughts wandering.

It’s the first night out of four that Kate has finally gotten her pillow back, but with the Werewolf gone, the walls almost feel cold, and the silence dreary. It’s a big bed, which only stresses this feeling of vulnerability looming over her and wrapping around her instead of the blanket, baring her of any safety or peace of mind.

Mullo, that’s the name of the Vedmak who started this spiky string of life-changing events. And Kate isn’t talking about whitewater rafting or bungee-jumping; she’s talking about the gory mess he left for her to clean up. However, thanks to her meager linguistic knowledge, the Aramaic side, especially, tingles at the name, which leads her to think that _Mullo_ isn’t the Vedmak’s real name; he wouldn’t give it away to his minions just like that, Kate is betting.

In fact, Kate questions whether he’s a warlock at all.

He said Kate wasn’t the only Mage, but that isn’t a tantamount to an admission that he, too, is a Mage. He is quite powerful, and everybody has seen it, but being a Mage is different than _that_. It isn’t evil, for starters, and they don’t go about beheading the people they disagree with. Although Kate uses her magic to bury her opponents, they aren’t really dead; they’re, for lack of a better word, in a state of cryosleep. And Kate would like to think that’s more merciful than decapitation.

She turns over to her other side, but afraid that she might irritate the wound because Alina never said how long the calming effect of her potion was going to last, Kate stuffs a cushion under the wound area.

She’s already applied the antibiotic ointment Dr. Potts left at her disposal, and changed the soiled dressing. Creamy chicken stew and rice was Mrs. Marcy’s idea of a light and healthy dinner, and Kate approves; some type of herbs must have been added, because that thing tasted like heaven.

The door creaks open –it actually makes a noise when earlier it didn’t, but no light sneaks through the gap. Kate reels her head to the direction of the sound, finding Sir Integra advancing towards the bed in imperceptible steps.

“Hey,” Kate groans to try to stifle a yawn, her lips immediately growing into a smile when Sir Integra toes off her shoes, removes her outer garments, and gets into the bed, smoothing the duvet over them both before wrapping her arm around Kate’s defined waist. A wisp of an aromatic scent shrouds every corner of the room, infiltrating Kate’s nostrils and her very nerves; the master must have been at the pool, before showering and coming here, and, at the thought, Kate finds herself pressing against her master’s chiseled chest.

“Hey yourself,” Sir Integra mumbles into Kate’s ear, now pressing up against her back while the girl rubs her palm on the back of the master’s hand, feeling every vein and knuckle. “Why are you up so late?”

 _You’re up so late, too!_ Kate chuckles drunkenly. “I was waiting for my ‘goodnight’ kiss,” she says, “What’s your excuse?”

Sir Integra hums again, but this time into Kate’s ear that the girl’s body can’t help but quiver. “I was hurrying things along so I can come back and kiss you.”

As though that’s an invitation, Kate’s lips part a little before they get taken by Sir Integra’s. The kiss isn’t hurried, rather lazy. And every now and then, their lips smack.

Kate’s heart is bursting with sensations, words at the tip of her tongue, on the cusp of being formulated, but every time she seeks to utter them for Sir Integra only, they fail her.

“ _Sir, will you indeed come here again, and be my own again, and kiss me as you used to? . . . I hope for you so much, and feel so eager for you, feel that I cannot wait, feel that now I must have you — that the expectation once more to see your face again makes me feel hot and feverish, and my heart beats so fast.”_

Not the most creative, or romantic, for that matter, but, if her need to get her feelings across surpasses tact, then so be it.

“When did you get the time to memorize a darn letter?”

That’s a bit of an overreach with the word ‘time’, because Kate has all of it, working for this organization.

“Back when I was in college, I came across one of Emily’s poems, and after some digging, I learned about the letters.” She nuzzles up to her master. “I had been going through a lot, trying to define who I am and why I was different. I used to think that I related to her a lot. I mean I feel one with nature. I’m quite spiritual. And I’m allergic to scumbags; the only difference is that I can’t shut myself away from people.” While that brings Sir Integra to chuckle, Kate seizes the chance to coax the other to talk about herself, too. “I wonder if you had a similar experience.”

“Not really,” Sir Integra and her one-liners! “I’ve always known what I wanted. I inherited the title and my position at thirteen; there was no time for thought-provoking questions.”

“Thirteen?” Kate exclaims. “That’s remarkable. I don’t even remember what I was doing when I was thirteen; mostly skipping school, I’d say.”

Chuckling yet again, Sir Integra drones in reply. “So you were a troublemaker, huh?”

“Not true,” Kate moves her hand to her master’s hair, just tugging gently at the black locks and appreciating what she has. “I was a very timid child. I didn’t cause a lot of trouble growing up, and if something happened, it mostly was another moron’s fault, not mine.”

Sir Integra’s hand moves, rubbing all over Kate’s belly, and then her breasts, before turning her hand to the belly again. And all Kate can react with is letting out soft sighs. “So you were smart enough to make it someone else’s fault.”

“I like to think of it as people being idiots for thinking they could play me,” Kate’s eyes are gleaming in the dimness, reflecting the moon’s brilliant halo.

This time, the master curls a hand over Kate’s throat, the thumb petting the girl’s jaw and turning it so Kate’s eyes are on her master’s. She wedges her lips under Kate’s jaw, mouthing along her throat and pausing to nibble where Kate’s marked. Kate, on the hand, slowly closes her eyes to really feel the magnitude of the master’s scent-marking trait, but, before she knows it, the portal to her dreams opens and she’s being pulled in..

Kate stirs to bright wakefulness with a groan, her side feels sore and her wound is throbbing. Perhaps, the effect of Alina’s potion is starting to wear off, and Kate isn’t really looking forward to reliving that painful experience again. Without turning, she knows Sir Integra isn’t sleeping beside her anymore, and last night almost feels like a dream but Kate knows that’s not true.

She sits up, her hand on her wound, and slouches with her back against the headboard.

It doesn’t feel like a prickle, it’s more announced than that. The aching sensation travels deep within Kate’s belly, like a snake slithering between rocks. While Kate knows the curse has already been extracted, she isn’t quite certain that the operation itself was successful. 

Or maybe she’s just overthinking this to the point of paranoia?

The sore feeling accompanies her through the day, keeping the attention of Kate’s mind on it and lending the girl with anxiety.

It’s around one in the afternoon, and it’s quite sunny outside. Kate, after learning that Sir Integra wasn’t home, secluded herself on one of the benches in the garden outside, near the fountain of the crying maiden, scribbling away on a notebook and trying to connect the dots; who Mullo really is, and what his purpose really is. 

If the High Witch worked for him, then that means other –more powerful people are working with him as well. And Kate has only seen him three times so far, the first time was last October, near that clearing somewhere on Hellsing’s property. That time, he damaged Kate’s attempt at stopping the effect of that Alpha’s bite from turning her master, and he succeeded. The second time was in Älvdalen, and, although Kate’s Imugi was raging back then, it still found a little difficulty defeating him. He managed to hold her captive and use her blood to level-up his henchman, Mr. Forsberg. Lastly, she saw him in Germany. And even there, he caused the High Witch’s brutal end.

The vedmak is a real source of chaos, Kate concludes.

There is some racket coming from the gate, and Kate looks up from her notes, squinting under the gleam of the sun to try to pinpoint who’s arrived, hoping it is Sir Integra.

It isn’t.

A car moves on the gravel driveway between patches of greenery, and finally stops at the entrance. Since Kate is sitting at the left side of the gardens, she has to lift up to properly see what’s transpiring as three men get out of the vehicle.

They’re wearing long cassocks and crosses, and, except for the silver-haired man at the forefront with the awful-looking scar on the right side of his face, the rest are dressed like priests.

On closer inspection, Kate finds that half of the blond man’s face is swaddled with bandages. He looks angry, too; the type of anger that has been nursed for years and waiting for a chance to erupt. Kate doesn’t want to mess with a ticking bomb, so she studies the other guests. If she’s relying on looks to give her perspective, then the black-haired guy wearing reading glasses seems like the smart and cunning type, and the silver-haired seems like their easy-going leader.

“Hello there,” the scarred man sang-songs with an evident accent.

“Hi,” Kate greets back, now folding her notebook and walking up to them. “Are you here to see Sir Integra?”

“This is wonderful” He exclaims, and, from his accent, Kate is sixty-percent sure that he’s Italian. “Finally, someone with decent conversation skills” –this prick! And Kate was trying to be all smiles– “Yes, sweetheart. We’re here to see Sir Hellsing.”

Her smile morphs into a grim. “Well, sorry to say” not really sorry “Sir Integra isn’t here. You are welcome to wait in the reception desk, though.”

“That we’ll do,” The man says, rolling his shoulders with distinct annoyance. Buddy, you don’t come here huffing and puffing and expect people to coddle you. “Show us in.”

“If you please,” Kate starts, despite the men’s confused silence. “If it’s possible or if you can.”

“What is it that you’re trying to say?” The man’s scowl deepens.

“Does tact mean anything in your dictionary?” She goads, bemused. “Poise. Savoir faire? Ring any bells? Want me to continue, because I _can_.”

Instead of saying anything, the man looks at his comrades with a furrowed expression, leading Kate to let go of a weary sigh. “Even if you thought I was a maid, showing me some decency in your talk wouldn’t hurt.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, little lady.” His expression relaxes as he laughs gleefully. “You are right. I wronged you, didn’t I?” As Kate questions whether that’s the attitude of someone serious or sarcastic, the man approaches her. “I’m Chief Makube, and these are my friends Heinkel and Dave.”

Nervous, only slightly, Kate clears her throat and nods. “Kate.”

There’s a pause that is quite perturbing, and, for a beat, their glaring eyes seem to be judging her, but, before Kate knows it, two semi-machine pistols are pointed at her by the blond man, Heinkel.

Crap, this has escalated pretty quickly.

“So you’re the rumored witch slave!” He marvels, placing his jaw in his hand and leaning in to fully study the girl.

“Excuse me?”

“Shouldn’t she be in chains?” Heinkel’s voice is kind of raspy, like someone suffering from a bad cold.

Backpedal there for a second! “Who are you calling a witch slave?”

Chief Makube straightens up, his small falls and his eyes turn eerily blank. “Apprehend her!”

Kate is reeling; they were happily exchanging sass just a minute ago, so what happened to disturb the peace?

Heinkel sheathes a gun to free his hand, and clasps Kate’s elbow in it instead. The girl is still weak from days of malnutrition, and not to mention how incapacitating the curse’s effect has made her body feel. She is still in pain, which, by the way, is only growing more intense as the hours go by, and she doesn’t know if casting spells right now is the wisest of choices.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Kate seethes, tossing the book to the ground so she can hit Heinkel’s arm. “You can’t just do whatever you want!”

The blond starts pulling at her arm, the barrel of his gun pointed at her head. “There are blessed bullets in this gun that can kill anything with or without a pulse, now move before I shoot you in the leg.”

This is insanity!

Knowing that using her magic right now would be risky, Kate decides to resort to old-fashioned calls of help. “Seras!” She yells as Heinkel pulls her towards the car. To be honest, she doesn’t even know if the pack is here, because if they were, they would have heard the clatter by now. “Zuri! Then she remembers that today is Thursday, so Zuri and Ian are at school. “Seras!”

As Heinkel wrestles Kate into the backseat, the front door of the manor opens and crimson appendages shoot out with incredible speed, swiping at Heinkel’s gun and propelling it out of his hand. The brunette seizes that moment to flee, crawling outside the vehicle from the other door and running towards the entrance.

“Seras Victoria!” Heinkel bellows the name like it’s an insult, now picking up his guns again and pointing them at the parading appendages protecting the entrance.

The vampiress steps out and stands in the shadow; despite the chilliness, it’s still a sunny day, and Seras was probably napping before her familiar, Pip, alerted her about the attack. And Kate takes in all of the blonde woman, her crimson eyes and the dangerous edge in them, her tense form and her clenched fists.

“Seras, thank God!” Kate breathes out a sigh of relief, now scooting closer to her for safety. “I’m sorry about this but I didn’t know how else to get away from them.”

“Are you injured?” Her voice echoes, as though it’s been synthesized.

Kate’s eyes flutter like butterfly wings. “No, I’m alright,” she said, now looking over at the ones who attempted her kidnapping. “Do you know them?”

“Vatican Section XIII,” Seras said after a pause. “The Iscariot organization.”

It clicks; those are the people Sir Integra talked about the day before. She really wasn’t laying it on thick when she said the Archbishop wasn’t a very kind man; Kate can tell that scar-face is the Archbishop from the embroidered scarf he’s wearing.

He sneers. “Pleasure to meet you.”


	15. Happy Coincidences?

“Weren’t they scheduled to arrive tomorrow?” Kate looks from Seras and at the rowdy guests and their sharp glare. “I don’t get it.”

“Stay here,” Seras instructs as those crimson thorn-vines, which are spewing from her body, swipe about, ready to strike. “Don’t move.”

“Right, I won’t.” Kate thaws and says distractedly, her eyes following the waving motions of Seras’ weapon as the blonde climbs down the stairs.

Chief Makube retreats from the assumed front in noiseless steps, his friend, Dave, stalking closer as well in order to leave space where the other two can maim each other.

Little gasps whistle in and out of her nose the shorter the destination between Seras and Heinkel gets, and Kate is worried because Alucard isn’t here, and nor is Walter. If push comes to shove, Kate is going to have to get involved in their fight, but she’s hoping someone from the pack will show up even before this breaks into a fight.

Heinkel points the guns at Seras’ head and pulls the triggers, consecrated bullets shoot but get impelled by the shadow matter to change their trajectory almost immediately. Undisturbed, Heinkel repeats the attack, however, from a different angle this time after having teleported himself to a different spot on the field.

Seras doesn’t yield either, willing the appendages to lash out towards her opponent, but, this time, they enwrap Heinkel’s legs, gifting him with momentary immobility, just enough for Seras to lift him up and swing him like she’s swinging a cat by the tail.

In a show of resilience, her enemy drops the guns and draws a hilt that has no blade, but a shining blue light soon emerges from the crosspiece, growing and shaping up into a bayonet which Heinkel uses to swing at the veins, cutting them to free himself.

Seras summons back her tendrils for extra caution. “A new addition. Nice, but it’s not like it’s going to work on me.” She comments in that echoing voice, and adds with contemptuous dismissal, “Carrying on Anderson’s wayward doesn’t mean you should become him.”

“What do you know about that,” following his gruff response, Heinkel brandishes the weapon in his hand. Now, he decides to sidestep the vampiress as he expands on Seras’ observation. “Holy silver bayonets; they worked on your master before, and they sure work on other unholy things like you.”

Seras beams. “If you mess with the bull, you get the horns.”

“And if you mess with the treaties, you get the edge of my sword.” Just as he says that, the blade in his hand liquefies, but it remains attached to the grip.

Under the spectators’ gawking looks, the silver liquid swivels through the air in a smooth curve, before it suddenly changes course and disappears. As Seras turns to multiple directions to spot the liquid, it reappears over her head.

Since she’s positioned on a higher ground, Kate sees it first. “Watch out!”

When the blonde looks up, the edge of the liquid solidifies only inches away from her crimson pupil, and she holds off all action.

Kate can smell the tension in the air, making her wish for her master’s arrival already; only Sir Integra is capable of putting a stop to this. She doesn’t think either Sir Integra or Walter has been informed, but she hopes she’s wrong.

Seras rights her posture, squaring her shoulders and facing those men. “I’m not at liberty to discuss anything with you,” she starts, calm and steady. “However, you’ve trespassed in a land which you do not own, and you have attempted to commit a crime on it. I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”

Normally, you’d start with that before you start throwing punches. If the two parties don’t come to an agreement, only then can you two try to kill each other.

It’s Chief Makube who answers that. “If I may,” he starts, now walking up to those two with his hands crossed behind his back and Dave in tow. He doesn’t get far, though, for another vehicle enters through the gate, and that silences everyone.

The car stops behind the one Dave drove in, then Sir Integra and Walter get out with a displeased expression that looks something between a scowl and a look of disappointment.

Walter is wearing a black covert coat, black pants, black shoes and white gloves. Sir Integra is donning a gray double-breasted wool coat with a notched collar, black leather gloves and shiny loafers. Kate also sees the black turtleneck sweater and black trousers beneath.

“Sir Integra Hellsing,” The archbishop drones, his smile growing eerier. “Finally home.”

The master’s glare at him is unforgiving. “What are you doing here?”

The Bureau Director unclasps his hands to lift them in a ‘it is what it is’ kind of gesture. The weapon in Heinkel’s hand restores its earlier shape with a grip without its blade, and the man hides it in his pocket again before going to stand beside his friend.

“I asked.” The master snarls, low and deep.

“And I shall answer.” The chief sighs heavily. “We’re here on the matter of Harz Mountain disruption.”

“Your letter stated that your arrival won’t be until tomorrow.” Sir Integra grits out. “I’d like you to get back inside your car and drive off my property.”

“No need for you to get so mad!” His carefree demeanor is probably what sets everyone off; adding to that, his accent adds no authenticity to his words whatsoever. “Considering that you've been cited for disciplinary infractions a few times already in the course of your tenure, I suggest you watch your words.”

A curt pause prevails, but Sir Integra narrows her heterochromatic eyes at the silver-haired.

“Are you threatening me?”

His silent smirk bespeaks his intention, but his words contradict his actions. “Not at all!” He sneers. “All I’m saying is, you’ve already embarked on this crazy project of harboring a slave witch without oversight –a ticking bomb that could destroy us all. Is it really so inappropriate of me to detain her, knowing she’s a threat to humanity?”

“Hold on there a sec, Mojo Jojo!” Kate berates, now descending the stairs of the porch. “First of all, if you call me a slave witch again, I’ll kick you in the balls. And two, you’re the one being threatening right now.”

Seras holds out her arm to stop Kate from advancing any farther. “Be quiet.”

“He called me a slave witch,  _ twice _ !”

The writhing shadow envelops Kate’s upper body, including her lower jaw, thus keeping her from saying any more.

As Kate thrashes to get the crimson coating off her to the point of her wound aching in protest, the master walks past the three men, followed by Walter. “You’ve already overstayed your welcome,” she tells them, calmly. “Leave now, and come back tomorrow.”

Seras remains outside, looking threatening and waiting on the men to leave as they’ve finally quit glaring at the front door. They get their bearings together, get into their car and drive off.

Thinking that she’s born with it enough as it is, Kate hopes for Seras to release her, but she’s enraged when the tendrils secure her more tightly and drag her inside the manor.

Inside one of the living-rooms in this manor, Sir Integra removes her gloves and coat and tosses them on one of the sofas, her movements stern. She rolls the sleeves to her elbows and thrusts her hands into her pockets.

“Release her.” She motions with the jut of her jaw.

Kate feels the pressure of the tendrils freeing her at last; however, immediately after the pressure is lifted from her wound, pain grabs her instead.

With her arm wrapped around her waist and her hand on her wound, Kate glowers at Seras.

“You know I had to.” Seras grins, brilliant eyes and all. “The situation was already too dire; you’d have made things worse if you said the wrong thing.”

The master interrupts, “What exactly happened?”

Still a little enraged, Kate chooses to take a seat and nurse her injury. “He asked to see you, but once he knew my name, he decided to take me instead.”

“What did you tell him, about the coven and that Mullo guy?”

“I didn’t tell him anything.” Kate’s brows furrow, eyes staring directly at her master’s. “Real question is, why did he insist on calling me a slave witch?”

The master rubs at her face for a moment before crossing her arms over her chest, making the veins bulge out across her forearms. “Alucard?”

At the mention of his name, the King of Vampires emerges from a cloud of crimson mist, daunting and looming, and  _ ridiculous _ with the red fedora and the duster coat; he looks like a flamenco dancer.

“My master,” his voice resonates, but Kate wonders why he always sounds like he’s moaning whenever he calls out his master.

“Chief Makube is up to something, there’s no two ways about it; the breach from five days ago isn’t why he’s here.” She returns her hands into her pockets, which, Kate now knows, is the telltale of the master’s nervousness. “Alright, it’s decided. From now on, you’re Kate’s assigned bodyguard.”

What!

Alucard and Kate’s eyes meet on the fly, and the girl feels that proverbial bolt of rivalry flashing over her head. He’s the first to cower, however, turning to face his master.

“With all due respect,” he starts, “I am the King of Vampires. I eradicate evil and monsters. You can’t ask me to babysit the midget.”

“I can. I just did.” Sir Integra leans towards her discarded coat and gloves to pick them up again. “You work for me, so do as I say. This isn’t permanent; the Iscariot might be looking to get their hands on our magic user, so I need you to keep an eye on her, and don’t let the Archbishop anywhere near her again.”

“My master, it shall be done.” He bows after he realizes how serious it is. “As you command.”

That’s it?

Kate shoots up to her legs. “Am I going to get a say at all?” She seethes. “I don’t want Pennywise up my ass 24/7! He and I are just at opposite poles about  _ everything _ .”

After a beat, all Sir Integra does is smirk impishly. “Well, opposites attract, right?”

_ That _ makes Seras and Walter chuckle at their misery.

This is unbelievable!

“Sir, wait!” Kate hastens her pace to catch up to her master, her arm still linked around her middle. “The last time Alucard and I were in the same room, he almost drove me to summon the Black Witch Moth. And, trust me, you don’t want that lady anywhere near you.”

“Then, next time, try not to. Think of this as an educational experience.” That’s the master’s solution. “Kate,” she said over the girl’s long-suffering sigh. “I’m doing this for you. The first stage of recovery is about minimizing damage and letting your body begin the healing process. Alucard can keep you safe until then.”

No, Alucard is going to give her an aneurysm, and consequently cause her an early death.

There’s a big, warm hand that palms Kate’s cheek, and the girl feels a sudden gush of safety and security that make her lashes flutter.

“You’re still in a lot of pain” –Kate knows there are dark veins travelling up the master’s arm, which is what inspired the remark– “Just focus on healing, and let me take care of the rest.”

Kate’s gaze remains trained on the floor, but she still feels this scorching heat spreading throughout her body, and settling over her cheeks.

She nods, her action meek, but she’s finally convinced.

“Good,” the master said, now ushering to Seras and Walter to follow her and turning to leave.

“Finally alone”

Kate looks up, finding Alucard’s shark smile approaching her. Rolling her eyes, Kate groans. “Oh, fuck me.”

Contrary to what she believed and the horrors she imagined them paired would be like, Alucard keeps away from her eyeshot, which is a comfort like no other, except when she remembers that now he has permission to be a spying creep, and she can’t complain.

At the dinner table, Ian and Zuri learn about the delegation that came all the way here from Italy, and about their alleged purposes.

Actually, Kate hates to assume things that aren’t even there, but ever since they came back, she’s been feeling odd about Zuri. It’s nothing that warrants red flags, but the dark-skinned sure has been acting more and more distant.

Kate would like to think that it’s in her head only, which is why she’s excited about the lady’s birthday. If she remembers correctly –of course she does; she’s been planning it for several days now– the 19 th of this month marks Zuri’s birthday, and Kate has been thinking nonstop of a suitable gift that could hopefully set things back on the right track for them.

At midnight, Sir Integra joins Kate in bed, and Kate cuddles up to her master, chest to chest.

“–Yeah but I have a reason to think that Chief Makube wants you.” Sir Integra responds to Kate’s comment about jumping the gun here, the resonation of her voice reverberating through Kate’s body. “I’ve decided not to bring you to the Round Table tomorrow.”

“Fine by me.” It’s a relief, actually. “I just hope it doesn’t cause any… disagreements?”

“I really don’t care if it does.” The master’s hand ghosts over Kate’s injury, pulling at the hem of the girl’s shirt. “His irresponsible actions this afternoon will cost him dearly. In fact, it’s the perfect excuse not to bring you.”

Kate feels the dull ache in her side dwindling what with the master leeching away the pain. She snuggles closer, lips nibbling over the other’s jaw line.

“Are you even listening to me?”

In response, Kate giggles. She wraps her arms around her master’s neck and huddles even closer, her fingers playing with Sir integra’s dark locks. “I am,” she said. “I love to hear you talk; I can just feel the resonation of your voice.”

“Is that so?”

There’s a hand lazily petting Kate’s back, and the girl purrs. “Aha.” She nods. “Your voice is so deep; it’s kind of comforting.”

“What else?”

Kate looks up into her master’s eyes amidst the amorphous darkness, and says after a beat of fond scrutinizing. “I love it when you touch me with your big hands.” Her eyes flick to the other’s lips. “I love the way you kiss me.”

As though prompted by that, Sir Integra leans in and captures Kate’s lips, and the two of them kiss blithely…

*******

The next morning, Kate and Katrina head to Stratford after the former expressed her wish to buy Zuri something for her birthday. Seeing that Kate had no idea what, Katrina decided they should just head to Westfield and see if they can find something.

The two girls haven’t really had enough free time to just sit down and catch up, and only after they’re seated and the train goes past tall buildings does Katrina feel comfortable with bringing up the situation.

“I mean, it’s not like I’m saying we’re no match. We match. I just, I want my mom to like him.” The situation, as Kate understands, is Katrina and Fajr having a tough time convincing the lady’s mother to accept them, seeing that Fajr embraces a very controversial religion. “She’s not Islamophobic.” Kate highly doubts that “But she thinks they’re the source of terrorism with their extreme ideologies; I can’t seem to get it through to her that Fajr is different.”

Kate claimed the window seat so, now, she leans her elbow on its sill to rub at her forehead. Well, this is quite a mess. “What does Fajr say about this?”

“Actually, he brought up marriage a few days ago.”

The brunette’s face beams as she exclaims. “Katrina, that’s amazing! Are you being serious right now?” After Katrina shrugs with a smug look on her face, Kate shakes hers disbelievingly. “And what did you say?”

That’s when the raven-haired looks away again. “I told you, I can’t decide anything if mom is being like that.” She wets her lips. “Even Fajr said that we need mom’s blessings if we want our marriage to be successful.”

“Have you met his family yet?”

Katrina nods, and her lips break into a content grin. “It was great. His parents were very nice, and his mother cooked a lot of Lebanese food just for me.”

There’s a pause that ensues suddenly where Katrina counts her losses and Kate tries to come up with something smart.

“Alright, listen; why not take your mom to see his family?” Kate starts, and at Katrina’s brow arch, she argues. “Look, if your mother is being hard-headed, it’s because she’s convinced about what the TV has been feeding her mind. If she meets real Muslims, something might change. You won’t know unless you try.”

“What if I take her there and she embarrasses me instead?”

This is more serious than Kate’s been treating it. She faces the girl with a set of deep eyes and says. “Are you serious about Fajr?” Katrina nodded. Kate asks, “Do you love him?” And Katrina nods again, this time with more fervency. “That’s all that matters, Katrina; if your mother loves you, she’ll want what’s best for you, and what makes you happy. If Fajr makes you happy, and if you think he’s good for you then tell her that, and you have to mean it.”

That seems to reinforce Katrina’s faith, somehow, and Kate notices that the girl’s mood remains bubbly for the rest of the trip.

They’re inside one of the fashion stores in the mall, with Kate walking between the aisles looking for a checkered shirt; Zuri always wears flannel and, at some point, Kate concluded it would be a nice gift.

“Or you know what,” Kate tells Katrina who isn’t far behind. “I’m not sure about getting her a shirt. I feel like it’d seem I didn’t even give it much thought.”

“How about you give her a shawl?” Katrina suggests, hands already goggling a set of beautifully decorated shawls on display.

Kate rolls her eyes. “You just want that for yourself.” As Ksatrina chuckles at her own cheekiness, Kate adds, “Besides, Zuri doesn’t feel cold, remember?”

“You’re just going to make it difficult to pick something if you limit our options.”

“I know.” Kate sighs. “We’ll keep looking.”

As she takes another turn to explore the next aisle, a mirror on the pillar shows her reflection. For a fraction of a second, it wasn’t her reflection, but Kate quickly shakes herself out of it after Katrina gets nosy.

They take the direction to a different store, and then another. Just as it starts looking like they’re going to be here all day, Kate’s eyes catch sight of a flamboyant jewelry store with golden light gushing from its glass windows.

They walk inside, finding only about six or seven people roaming the room with their eyes searching the pieces of jewelry exhibited in glass boxes. Immediately, Kate’s eyes start scanning the display stands for something that Zuri would like.

Katrina props up, pointing at a gold necklace with a pendent of the letter Z, and Kate admires it for a bit, before they get approached by a female clerk.

“How can I help you today?” Kate looks up, as does Katrina, finding a spectacled dark-haired lady wearing a white face mask and a neat suit jacket. “Are you looking for a special letter?”

Katrina expands on what they came here for, describing Zuri because the round-face woman requested it while Kate narrows her eyes at the woman with a look full of doubt; she’s heard that voice before, no one can convince her otherwise.

The clerk shows them this exotic African bracelet with beads, rhinestone rondelles and a brass mask pendant. It looks very tribal and unique, Kate admits despite her state of unease.

“This exotic and ethnic beauty here consists of rare gemstones. Not to mention that it’s embedded with gold discs. It’s unisex; whoever is getting it won’t be shy about wearing it.” The clerk’s big dark eyes twinkle, signifying that she’s smirking.

Katrina gushes that this is what Zuri would want to have, but Kate only fists her hands in silence, her eyes judging the clerk.

“It’s quite expensive, though.” Katrina moans, looking up at the clerk. “Is there any space for negotiation?”

The female clerk shakes her head, looking apologetic. “This is a scarce piece of jewelry; only five were ever made.”

Having had enough, Kate nears the counter and hisses. “What the hell are you doing here?” Both women snap questioning eyes at Kate, and, for a moment, she thinks she got the clerk’s identity wrong, but, no way. “Are you following me?”

Katrina was going to complain, but after hearing Kate’s chastising she only faces the clerk and waits for her answer to all of that. The clerk, however, only removes her mask and her reading glasses, confirming Kate’s doubts.

“I bet my lunch money that you wouldn’t bust my disguise; thanks for making me lose twenty five US dollars.” The woman hums solemnly. “Let’s go somewhere private first.”

Katrina prompts up. “What about the bracelet?”

The clerk eyes it and then Katrina, before handing it over to her and placing two diamonds in its place. “Satisfied?”

Without lingering to hear their take on it, the clerk walks towards a door at the side, her high heels knocking on the tiled flooring. She ushers to Kate and Katrina to follow, which they do after sharing a nod.

The moment they step foot into that room, the settings change. Not only that, but the feeling about it also changes, and so does the smell.

The clerk removes her jacket and places it on one of the two couches, remaining in a white shirt and a black skirt. She takes a seat first and motions for the girls to seat themselves as well.

“How did you know it was me?” The clerk asks after having studied her guests with narrowed eyes.

The magic user shakes her head sadly. “Lin, I know how your voice sounds.” She sighs. “Anyway, what are you doing here?”

Alina shrugs. “Commingling? Trying for a new career?”

“Bull,” Kate accuses. “Some guys from Italy arrived this morning, and they probably already know about you. Even the Hellsing organization is looking for you.”

“I know,” Alina said. “That’s why we’re here.”

Now that she thinks about it, even Alucard must be spying on them. As though shocked by the realization, Kate shoots up to her legs. “Alucard, he –he’s been assigned to be my bodyguard; he knows about you!”

Alina looks unfazed by the news. “Relax, he can’t find us here.”

Now that she mentions it. “What do you mean?”

“We’re inside a protective barrier. He can neither see nor hear us.” Alina presses her lips together to force a smile. “I learned that from you, Kate.”

Relieved, said girl sits back down. “You’re on Hellsing’s list of most wanted. If someone sees you, they’re not going to be happy about it.”

“I guess we just have to make sure they don’t see me, then.”

Kate ignores the Strega’s naughty smirk to ask. “Where’s Kannika, then?”

“Nik and Hans are going to be here in a bit.” Alina dismisses with a hand. “Tell me, how have you been? And how’s the wound?”

As though her instincts have been trained to act upon hearing that word, the addressed girl links her arm around her waist and fidgets a little bit. “It’s fine –I’m fine.”

“Want me to take a look?”

“No, it’s good.” Kate faces Katrina, who is still staring with that confused fish look on her face. “Um, Katrina, this is someone I met during the job we took care of in Salisbury. Alina, this is my friend.”

The two smile thinly at each other.

They suddenly hear the jingle of metal behind a different door. The three girls stare at it as it gets opened, and Kannika, dressed in a t-shirt that has Kaonashi’s face on it and skinny jeans, walks in followed by a tall, muscular man who has snow white hair, bloody red eyes, and somewhat tanned skin. Both of them are carrying bags and umbrellas.

“Nik, Hans, it’s good for you two to join us.” Alina gestures with her hand. “Come in, come meet our guests.”

Kannina and this Hans guy place the bags on a table nearby, and then approach their guests. They get introduced to each other by Alina, who isn’t trying hard to alleviate the level of awkwardness in the room.

The girl with short hair sits beside Alina while the man leans down to kiss the woman on the lips, before returning to the bags to put away the things inside.

Kate’s brows fly up; that’s interesting, and weird to watch, considering she knows nothing about these people except they were part of a deadly coven.

“Kate,” Alina said, rising up with a barely stifled groan. “I need to speak to you in private. Nik can stay and keep your friend company.”

The magic user faces Katrina again, and the girl smiles.

“Sure!” She does that exaggerated wave of hands. “I’ll be fine. Go.”

“I won’t be long,” Kate promises, before following Alina behind a corner and disappearing completely.


	16. Tardy Reveals

Kate sits on the white loveseat, a sliver of caution conduct about her posture, and she studies the windowless 4x4 room which she was shown into, examines the pale gray walls festooned with abstract paintings, the gray floor paneling and the stand lamp at her right, before looking at Alina who chose to sit next to her.

“Where is this place?” Kate asks with a dash of impress; Alina has absolute control of the portal, and the magic user is ashamed of her own lacking skills.

Alina takes a quick onceover of the room before returning her gaze to Kate. “Our temporary base,” she said. “We don’t feel safe yet to settle, but we’ll make it work. Hans has been a great help, Kannika too, of course. Without them, none of this would have been possible.”

Oh, yes. Kate remembers the Strega talking about starting her new league. “Is this about the cult you told me about the other day?”

“It’s only a base, for now.” Alina hums. “But we’re slowly getting there. Anyway, we’ll talk about this later. I need to see if the stitches have melted or not yet, remove your coat.”

“I told you–” Kate starts, but is cut off by Alina’s lifted hand.

“Take it off.”

Begrudgingly, Kate unbuttons her coat and removes it, revealing a knitted sweater underneath; wool causes allergy-like symptoms that differ from sniveling and sneezing, whereas cotton is comfortable to wear. She pulls the hem up and the medical pad on the injury comes into view.

“Those people who arrived from Italy,” Alina starts, her hands on the pad working to remove it. “Have they mentioned anything about what came of Lucy?”

Kate shakes her head, face grimaced in hard lines. “Last time I saw her, she was but a decapitated mess. No, I don’t think they have. They came yesterday to meet with my master, but the moment I blurted out my name, they decided to take me instead” –Alina flicks her eyes up at Kate’s– “I know. But Seras was there, and, luckily, she managed to stop them.”

“Did they say why they wanted to take you?”

The brunette hisses the moment Alina’s fingertips prod the injury’s outline. “No, but, here’s the thing, they kept calling me the slave witch?”

Alina’s fingers come to a pause. “That’s not good.”

“Not by any measure; no, but why do  _ you _ think that?”

“Because–” Alina starts, now pulling away and getting off the couch altogether, “If they attempted to take you, it means they already know who you are; or, rather, the rumors that have been surging around about Sir Hellsing’s powerful witch.”

“There are already rumors like that going around?”

Alina sits down after having rummaged in the storage of a coffee table near the couch and comes out with two small bottles. “The Hellsing organization has existed for centuries, and has been eradicating evil without anyone daring to point fingers at their trump card; however, ever since they brought you in, everyone’s been talking about what a good use they could have for you.”

The magic user feels a swell of pride that she cannot explain, and she sneers. “Finally, I’m getting the recognition I deserve.”

“This isn’t a game.” Katrina opens the flat box and takes a thin film of the cream inside, ushering to Kate to lift the hem up again so she can apply it on the wound. “The Hellsings have been harboring more and more anomalies, and that has pissed off some really bad people. This could mean that you’re in trouble as well.”

The magic user nibbles on her bottom lip, contemplating. “You remember Mullo?” Alina nods. “Well, he said that he’s some type of a Mage, which makes no sense. I was near him but I couldn’t feel his Imugi, so that must mean that he was lying, right?”

Worrying the inside of her cheek, Alina closes the box and leans against the armrest. “Kate, have you ever heard of tourmaline crystal?”

That is irrelevant, but Kate humors the Strega so she can see where this is going. “Yeah, minerals and stuff.”

Alina nods. “The tourmaline stone, the black one to be exact, has the ability to absorb negative energy without compromising its own. Some magic users protect themselves with it, some cleanse their environment and so on.” Alright, so far it sounds like something Kate has already read in the books. “That Mullo guy is a Mage, just like you.”

“But, I don’t get it; I didn’t feel his Imugi at all!”

“I know, I’m coming to that.” Alina blows a sigh. “A few years ago, Mullo and Lucy were hunting for an Ibex in Spain where they found a Schorl stone that had been activated for many years prior. Mullo took it. It’s true that those types of stones can absorb negative energy, but that one stone has been activated for years, absorbing all sorts of energies.”

Kate swallows the lump in her throat, her eyebrows creasing.

“Mullo felt invigorated by it, and he even discovered new ways to use the power of the stone. But it cost him dearly. Gradually, all that black energy started to affect him in ways nobody could cure. He lost his Imugi; the stone killed it since Mullo refused to listen to my advice not to use his magic.”

A silent beat prevails before Kate blinks. “Hold on.” She wets her lips. “So the Vedmak can’t use his power, right?” Alina nods again. “Then how was he able to manipulate magic?”

“It’s the stone’s power,” Alina provides. “The energy’s exotic properties cannot be observed in normal conditions, therefore hard to control. However, Mullo was smart enough to make the black tourmaline work as a substitute for the Imugi’s power.”

“That’s why I couldn’t feel his Imugi?”

“More or less,” Alina says, “To be honest, he’s reached a level that I cannot judge by typical means. I guess Lucy saw it, too. It could be that you didn’t feel it simply because he didn’t wish you to.”

Kate lowers her gaze.

“Every day, more and more followers are forming alliances with him, more monsters joining him. It’s only a matter of time now before he strikes.”

The doom in Alina’s tone and the danger carried between the words she’s saying are enough to make the hairs on Kate’s arm stand. “We have to warn the others.” She sits up properly, her keen eyes on Alina’s. “I have to tell my master.”

In response, all Alina does is scoff. “Do you really trust Sir Hellsing?”

“Why wouldn’t I?” Kate cocks her head. “They’re fighting the same enemy as you.”

“I know, but that’s not what I meant.”

“What did you mean, then?”

The look in Alina’s eyes darkens. “Both The Iscariots and The Hellsing organization already have powerful trump cards; so have you ever stopped to wonder why they’d be keeping you? Did it ever cross your mind that there’s something off about that?” As Kate looks at the other, tens of thoughts speed up in her mind, reminding her of her own insecurities. “Kate, even I can see that you’re just a means to an end.”

She doesn’t know what it is, but Kate is prompted to shoot up to her legs and glare at Alina. “Stop saying things that aren’t true,” she defends. “Sir Integra has been showing more and more of herself, and she’s been treating me like a true lover. I don’t know where this is coming from, but I’d appreciate it if you stop making things up.”

Alina resigns, raising both hands in surrender. “I’m sorry, you’re right. That was out of line. But let me ask you, do you really believe that, deep down, do you really believe you two are lovers?” She dares. “There are so many things that are just wrong with this picture. You show up at their doorstep carrying a ticking bomb in your body, you cause their family head an incurable curse, thus ruining his –her chance of holding position in the Convention of Twelve, and you still think she keeps you because she’s in love with you?”

All Kate does to defend herself against the accusation is ball her fists.

“Kate, you’re their enemy, and it doesn’t matter how many times you try to deny it. You are what you are, and they’ll never come to accept you.” Alina also stands up. “You turned their master into a thing, don’t you get it?”

It all hits home, right to where it hurts the most, and that’s why Kate lunches at the other lady, seizing her collar. “You don’t know anything!” She seethes. “You don’t know about the sacrifices I made, or the pain I’ve been through. You know nothing!”

Alina allows Kate to mess up the lapels of her shirt, her expression melancholic. “You’re right, I don’t.” She admits. “But one thing I know is that the Hellsing organization sees you as a weapon to be used, nothing more.” The Strega seizes Kate’s distracted look to single-handedly take the girl’s hands off of her lapels. “You’re not that stupid, Kate. Living among the affluent, do you really think their boss will settle for a commoner?”

“Shut up.” Kate grits out.

“Fine, don’t believe a word I just said.” Alina squares her shoulders. “But I didn’t come all the way here to tell you lies, Kate; I’m here to ask you to join us. We’ve got Hans, and you saw how he almost took down Mullo’s pet dog.” Kate remembers the Hound and the Lycan; Alina’s probably telling her that the white-haired man from earlier was that Lycan, and that he probably attacked under Alina’s order. “Kannika’s skills are getting better each day; mine, too. We won’t take advantage of you; we’re all the same here.”

The brunette rumples her hair, eyes trembling, and she steps backward to get her bearings together. “I –I don’t think that’s a good idea.” She shakes her head. “Even if I wanted to go for a change of career, I still need to abide by the contract.”

Alina grasps Kate’s hand, and the two stare into each other’s eyes for a moment before the Strega decides to come clean about what she’s been hiding.

“I didn’t want to scare you, but I regretted not telling you.” It’s the turn of Alina’s eyes to tremble. “You bled –back in that cave, you were bleeding profusely.”

At this point, Kate’s heart is racing; she’s fearful what kind of horrors that statement holds. “That’s not possible. I used magical bands to prevent bleeding.”

“I know you did.” The raven-haired blows a heavy sigh. “But the injury” –she juts her chin to Kate’s wound– “Lucy used oryx blood mixed with the dark energy from Mullo’s black tourmaline. She implanted it so deep I was unable to extract it.”

Perplexed even more, Kate glowers. “She used scimitar oryx blood?”

“The part from their horns,” Alina provides.

Just as the words are uttered, Kate wrenches her hand from Alina’s and steps away, chest heaving and eyes tearing up. “You–” her nose flares. “You’re making things up again –this whole setup is just to get me to join you.”

“I wish that were true.” With a look of resignation, Alina returns to the couch to sit –no, she flops down with slouched shoulders, her arms crossing over her lap. “I didn’t wish to tell you, but I also didn’t want to keep you in the dark about your own health. The last oryx that went extinct was hunted by Lucy and Mullo when they were somewhere in North Africa. There’s no way to reverse the spell.”

What Kate knows about the uses for the scimitar oryx blood that’s been extracted from the horns is its efficiency in making curses and causing defectiveness to opponents and their magic. Adding to that, Alina has just told her what the black crystal did to Mullo’s Imugi and, consequently, his magic.

Kate has been given a shot of both; talk about a career-ending injury!

“If anyone from the Hellsing organization finds out, you’re not going to be useful to them anymore.” Alina is just hell-bent on giving Kate years of psychotherapy. “Even if you decide to hide it from them, how long do you think you’re going to keep the pretense; you can’t fool them for that long.”

Just a minute ago, Kate’s wrath almost felt like hell fire broke loose, but it’s been put out by this calming rush. She takes a deep breath in and lets it out, deciding to hog her seat and sit perched on the couch.

“You may be right; I don’t know if my magic was compromised or if the curse you say Lucy placed inside of me is incurable, but I’m not ready to believe that. I’ll wait until I’m healed so I can put your words to the test; other than that, I’m fine where I am.”

“Kate –” Alina goes to convince Kate but the girl shakes her head.

“You’ve told me things that I already suspected. Besides, I know the organization is keeping me for my magic. I’m not mad about that.” Kate realizes that her lips have broken into a smile. “I know that I’m innocent and I know what the organization wants from me. But I also know that Sir Integra doesn’t keep me for those reasons only; even if I try to explain it to you, you wouldn’t understand.”

“I’m only worried that you’re going to be disappointed a big time.”

As an appreciation to her concern, Kate palms the back of Alina’s hand. “Thank you, but I’ve made up my mind a long time ago. I know what I want and I’m satisfied with that.”

Blowing out a despaired breath, Alina bobs her head, looking as though she’s torn between accepting Kate’s resolve or keeping her own insistence for Kate to join them. She stands up, rights her rumpled skirt before beaming at her guest.

“Alright,” she said. “But, if you ever change your mind, there’s always a place for you here.”

The amount of assurance in that statement overwhelms Kate to no end; not many in her life offered a shelter for no price in return. She also levers up, a smile still plastered on.

“I know.” She nods. “Let’s hope things get better for both of us, and for Mullo to just get a heart attack and drop dead so there’s less things to worry about.”

Alina’s shoulders vibrate as she chuckles; now turning to lead Kate out of the room. “Let’s keep all that between us, shall we? And if you ever cross paths with that psycho bastard, just ignore everything he says.”

“You don’t have to tell me twice.”

In the living-room, Kate finds Katrina still on the sofa, a cup of tea in her hand. There’s something odd about the picture, it’s almost funny how Kannika is just sitting there staring at the way Katrina fidgets with no Hans in sight.

The girl looks up as they approach them, placing the cup on the table separating her from the other witch. “Oh, you’re done?”

“Yeah.” Kate thrusts her hands inside her pockets. “I’m sorry for keeping you waiting.”

“No worries; but we must take our leave now.” Saying so, Katrina lifts off the seat, making her way to Kate.

“You can use the same door to get out.” The Strega points at the one they entered from. “It opens in the jewelry store.”

“Good, um, I’ll see you again?” Kate sends her brows up to her hairline; now that it’s a goodbye moment again, she’s finding it hard to part ways with someone who has an unadulterated understanding of her struggle. “I mean, what with everything we’ve discussed?”

Alina’s lashes flutter while her stare remains unaffected. “Here, drink only one drop of the potion if the pain gets bad. And apply the cream if the wound gets red and puffy.” She hands Kate the bottle and the flat box from earlier, and waits until they’re in Kate’s hand to link her arms around the brunette.

Kate surrenders to the embrace, wrapping her arms around the woman and closing her eyes. “Thank you. I’ll never forget your kindness.”

Instead of pulling away completely, the Strega draws her head back enough so she can press her lips against Kate’s. The same sequence of reactions follow, Kate struggles weakly against her while Alina presses harder on her mouth.

“You’re incorrigible.” Kate chastises, her cheeks fuming. She could never understand the reason behind Alina’s unexpected actions, and what’s more, she doesn’t think she can refuse her; Alina’s been too nice to reject in front of other people.

“Consider that payment for my services.”

Rolling her eyes in fond playfulness, Kate retreats to the door with Katrina, and they wave bye to the two Stregas before finally opening the door and walking out.

The jewelry store is still resplendent in flashy beams, and more exuberant people seem to have found the inspiration to admire the stones and the diamonds.

The two girls exit the store with the tribal bracelet in Katrina’s hand, but she hands it over to the magic user with a silent motion, prompting the girl to arch a brow.

“Thanks,” she said, admiring the gold disks and the gemstones before hiding it in the pocket of her coat. “Hey, um” –she knows Katrina has a lot of questions she wishes to address, but Kate is really not ready to reveal any of that to anyone else– “I know it was kind of weird and out of the blue, and I’m sorry I dragged you along with me.”

“No, it’s fine.” Katrina’s tone is stern, and that’s how Kate knows that, no, it is not fine.

The magic practitioner clasps her friend by the arm to stop her. “Alright, out with it, what is it?”

The raven-haired chews on her bottom lip, her eyes slowly looking down and into Kate’s. “What was that all about?”

“What was what?”

“Where do you know those strange people, and what’s up with that  _ kiss _ ?” Katrina scowls, which means she’s in an incandescent mood. “You two were gone for a long time; just what in the world is going on?”

“I told you, Lin helped me with my injury.” Kate recommences walking again, blown pupils eying the other stores. “If it weren’t for her, Sir Integra and I wouldn’t have made it back.”

“I understand that, I do.” Katrina is basically talking between her teeth. “I just don’t get why you two had to kiss?”

“Alina was just teasing me, okay? You saw how she and Hans kissed, didn’t you?” Kate is considering making the girl make her a promise not to let this out to anyone. “Look, although Lin was a big help, Sir Integra isn’t quite tolerant of the idea of a Strega roaming free. I’d appreciate it if this stays between us.”

“You’re asking me to lie to my master?”

“No, of course not.” Kate furrows her brows at the girl. “I’m just asking you to keep this hush for now. Alina is still trying to find her feet, but if you go ahead and tell them about what you saw today, they’re going to make a big deal out of it.” Katrina remains quiet, so Kate pushes. “Please?”

The other lady shakes her head, but not to decline; it is more of a frustrated move.

“You have to promise me that no one will know about this.”

“Yeah, whatever.” Katrina huffs, scampering towards the exit’s direction, and Kate, after having stared at her, she rushes after her.

*******

The ride home was quiet, with Kate revisiting what she’d learned about the Vedmak and his black crystal, about the curse that was placed inside the wound and the war Mullo is preparing for, while Katrina stared out the window with a vague look in her eyes.

As they enter the Hellsing residence, Katrina makes a beeline for the kitchens’ direction while Kate stares at the door she walked through.

It’s going to be fine, Kate trusts Katrina. Although she can be hard-headed, she always takes Kate’s side.

Tess has shown admirable diligence and impeccable skills, so when Kate sees her, she finds her crouched on the floor, wiping the metal part of a vintage two-door cabinet with resolutely firm hands.

“Tess,” Kate greets, and the girl looks back at her. “Is Sir Integra home?”

The other lady nods. “In the office.”

Smiling, Kate thanks the lady and, instead of making her way to the office, she goes to her room.

To be honest, throughout the ride, Kate’s heart has been calling out to Sir Integra, wishing to see her. She tried to keep her mind off everything she’d learned by rethinking back on Sir Integra’s larger hand splayed over her torso, caressing. And that has caused some shortness of breath and hotness in her abdomen and, for what was left of the ride, she kept thinking about Sir Integra and herself making love…

She hides the bracelet inside the drawer where she keeps Angus’ bangle, Sarah’s letter and now Alina’s potions. There is a box in there that contains many more items: letters, dried flowers and keychains, and others, gifts from her friends and students. The tribal bracelet will stay safe in the drawers until the nineteenth of this month.

After the bath, Kate struggles whether to wear comfortable pajamas and wait until dinner hour to finally see her master, or put on the black long-sleeve turtleneck dress; eventually, she feels (for lack of a better word) titillated, a need she must quench and the only way how is to seek Sir Integra.

With high heels on and hair fixed in a ponytail, Kate grabs her strength and heads to the office, a part of her hoping the master hasn’t already left.

The things she learned about today will remain unspoken for the best of everyone and that’s how they can overcome this and move on to the next step; preparing a counterattack against Mullo and his gang of rejects is more important.

Alina mentioned that he used to be a Mage, but, with the black crystal’s dark energy, he’s evolved. He is using a source of power that nobody has before, no one that Kate knows of. Beating him might prove to be tricky, but Kate is hopeful.

The last time Kate pushed this door open, the handle absorbed the heat from her hand and the metal felt cold. Today, it feels even colder since Kate’s hands are not only hot, but sweaty as well.

She enters, and Sir Integra, sitting at her desk and skimming through a folder, raises her head to eye the intruder.

“Kate,” she says, her silver voice resonating across the vast, empty room.

“Hey.” The brunette’s bottom lip hides between her two rows of teeth. She works the courage to go up to the desk, despite the way Sir Integra keeps ogling how the tight dress outlines the shape of her body. “How was the meeting?”

The master closes the folder and shifts away from the desk so she’s facing Kate, and she hauls up an ungloved hand in the air. “Not bad; at least they didn’t request to see you.” She said, her hand now slumping on the armrest of the chair. “Where have you been?”

Kate lets her shoulders lift as an answer, but she knows that’s not good enough. “Zuri’s birthday is coming up, so Katrina and I went to Westfield to find a present.”

“Did you?”

In response, Kate gives a coquettish smirk. “I guess you’ll just have to wait and see.”

“Oh, I’m curious now.” Sir Integra leans on her knuckles, a leg going over the other. “Are you going to make me guess?”

“The only guess game I’ll play with you right now is if you can tell what I’m wearing under this dress.” She’s been leaning against the desk, but she pushes off of it to lean forward, her eyes never straying from her master’s provocative eyes. “I’ll give you two chances.”

Ever so calmly, Sir Integra eyes Kate’s outfit in a way that almost makes the girl demure her act and wait until tonight. The tip of her tongue licks at her eyetooth as she takes in how tight the dress is.

“Let’s see,” she starts, her voice alone sending shivers down Kate’s spine. “Lace thongs?”

The girl sneers and shakes her head, now leaning even closer to her master’s face. “Try again.”

“Are you going to give me any hints?”

With her hands on the armrests, Kate helps her body maintain its posture. "Um,” she makes it as if she’s going to provide the hint, but she’s only giving herself more time to hover properly. “Nope.”

“You’re always cruel to me, Kate.”

“Try again.”

“I have absolutely no clue; I was kind of rooting for sexy lingerie but that’s out.” The master hums. “Are you wearing my briefs?”

Kate barks a laugh that nearly kills the mood; she’s lucky the look in those mismatched eyes remains deep and brazen.

The kind of gravitational force they talk about must be this force Kate feels pulling her closer to her master. Her playful mask falls, replaced by bare lust and open, shameless want.

“You’re out of luck,” Saying so, Kate removes the little space between them by pressing her lips against Sir Integra’s.

The kiss deepens, and Kate feels hands pawing at her dress to make it ride up, but she clutches those hands in hers to place them on the armrests again; this is Kate’s show, and she won’t tolerate interruptions. With them free, she guides one to her master’s marble chest, fingers stroking the dips and juts on their way down to the bulge.

The moment she pulls away from the wet kiss, there’s a string of saliva connecting her lips to her master’s; that’s the hottest thing she’s seen today, beside Sir Integra. She wedges her mouth between the master’s jaw and collar, just breathing onto the neck.

“What are you planning to do, exactly?”

Kate is a little shocked the other is still asking, even with the way she’s pressing her hand on the bulge. “Are you just playing or did the workload finally get to your head?” Kate gasps on the convulsing throat.

“Trust me I know very well what you plan to do.” The master lets out a small sigh. “But do you?”

Obviously, Kate knows.

“Considering that this is an office, anyone can walk in.” Alright, so maybe she has a point, but they’re already here and Kate’s hand is already taking the cock out of its warm nest. “If Walter walks in, we’d both get into trouble.”

Kate will be too stupid if she lets this chance go; that’s why she goes down on her knees and takes her master’s cock inside her mouth.

“Oh, Christ, Kate, you just won’t give me any breaks.”

The brunette feels her master’s hands petting her head, and she purrs contentedly on the cock that the resultant vibrations cause Sir Integra to let out a prolonged groan. At the sound made, Kate’s heart flutters; it’s she who managed to coax that sound out of her master.

She doesn’t stop her sweet, torturous ministrations, rolling her tongue on the crown of the slick glans, and diving down to take it deeper into her throat. As the master sighs deeply, Kate’s eyes flutter close, the scent and the taste making her faint. When she pulls away, she sucks until her cheeks hollow out.

“Oh, this is damn good!” The master grunts, a hand clutching at Kate’s locks and the other tapping the tip of her cock against Kate’s lolling mouth. Kate shows that cheeky grin, lips and tongue glistening with precome. The master seems eager as she huffs. “Up, on your feet, let me find out what you’re wearing beneath this gorgeous dress.”

Just as enticed, Kate gets to her feet despite the shakiness in her knees; if Sir Integra cared to analyze this deeper, she’ll find just how desperate Kate’s show of brash immodesty is, but the girl is glad the master is too horny to see it.

Kate stands between the master’s legs, leaning her rear on the desk’s ridge, and she stares on, anticipating, and loving the eager look in her master that searches her body up and down.

Those large hands land on Kate’s hips, stroking painfully slowly, and all the girl is allowed to do is listen to her heart pounding in her ears and her eyes drowning in her master’s.

“Can’t feel a waistband; I wonder what it is you’re wearing.” she drones, her hands sliding towards Kate’s ass cheeks, feeling them for a bit before groping so hard Kate can’t help but gasp aloud. “This is quite interesting.” She smirks, and then asks, darkly “If I’m not mistaken, you’re wearing a v string?”

Kate doesn’t confirm the other’s guess. “Let’s raise the bar higher, shall we? If your answer is correct, you can ask me to do anything you want. I won’t say no.”

“And if it’s wrong?”

Somehow, and Kate doesn’t know how or why, but the master almost seems like she’s merely indulging her and going along with this game because she’d like to keep Kate satisfied, and the girl doesn’t know whether it’s wise to address that or not, but, if it’s true, Kate will pretend she didn’t notice.

“I’ll ask you anything  _ I  _ want.” As simple as that.

“Alright, deal.” The master’s smirk deepens. “Now, lift up your dress and let me see.”

Kate obliges, grabbing the hem of her dress and pulling it up, revealing a bare body; besides, the medical pad isn’t considered clothing as far as Kate is concerned. She watches all the nuances of her master’s face, and how her smirk falls and her eyebrows go slightly –just a tiny bit up.

Perhaps, she messed up, and this isn’t as exciting as Kate thought it’d be.

“You walked around with just that dress on?” Sir Integra’s brows furrow now, and Kate considers rethinking her decision to do this. “Did you think I’d be pleased?”

To avoid sparking a fight, Kate goes for light humor. “Aren’t you?”

“Oh?” The other breathes out. “You have no idea.” Saying so, she gets hold of the hem and wedges it into Kate’s mouth, and as Kate wonders what is about to happen now, she feels her master’s fingers wiggling over her clits and that immediately makes her sigh.

“I should punish you for that” As cheesy as it sounds, but Kate still finds it adorable. “Were you looking to seduce my men?”

Kate’s toes curl and her fingers clutch the ridge of the desk so she wouldn’t collapse to the floor. She shakes her head; her mouth is stuffed so she can’t really talk. That effort, however, soon becomes futile when Sir Integra pushes her fingers in and Kate can’t help but gasp again, letting the dress ride down.

“We can’t have that, Kate.” Sir Integra intones, bringing the hem back into Kate’s mouth and ignoring how the girl glares helplessly at her. “Naughty girls must accept their punishment, understood?”

It’s mortifying, but they’ve come a long way and Kate has overcome her insecurity when it comes to being at ease during sexy times. She nods, albeit meekly.

“That’s a good girl,” she compliments, slipping her fingers out only to start a slow and circular motion on Kate’s clits and causing the girl to squirm. “Did you come here expecting this, huh? Expecting me to start a little something in my office just for you?”

Oh, God! It sounds so good when the master makes it about Kate.

However, Kate refrains from giving away the answer.

“You dirty little whore…” The master licks her lips, looking to be getting more excited so she shifts closer, her lips capturing one of Kate’s perked nipples.

The girl throws her head to the back, absorbing the sensation while Sir Integra suckles on her nipple. It’s hard not to catch the noises the master is making, deep moaning sounds that fill Kate’s ear and make her rake a hand through those dark locks, clutching them and forcing the head closer to her breasts.

The master pulls away with a slurp, and lifts up to full height, looming over Kate. Kate only following her gaze, her own trembling; this isn’t logical, why does Sir Integra get sexier each day!

Resembling the breeze of a summer dawn, Kate feels lips touching hers, and their trace fading soon after, but that’s all she needs to open her mouth and let the dress spill down her body; Sir Integra’s hand being the only thing keeping it from reaching all the way to her knees.

“Kiss me.” Kate whispers, emotions raw in her tone.

Her wish is done in the same instant, and the two of them kiss again, more tongue, more slurping and more sucking. The vigorous digits slither into the hot flesh inside, prodding the walls and sending shudders across Kate’s body as she whimpers into the kiss.

And, yet again, it’s Sir Integra who pulls away.

“Turn around,” she commands, yet placing her hands on Kate’s hips to swivel her. “Seducing me with this dress, did you think I’d let you off as soon as you got what you wanted?”

“I wasn’t counting on it.” Kate moans, feeling a hand on the center of her back, pushing her downward on the surface of the desk.

“Cross your knees, Kate.” Although she orders it, Sir Integra still uses her hands to reposition Kate’s legs and make her knees cross one behind the other. “What a beautiful sight.” She hisses. “Oh, if you could just see yourself down here…”

When she was around 18, or perhaps 19, Kate found a way to disperse her pubic hair, and she used the opportunity to get rid of all the body hair except for her eyebrows and the hair on her head; so, no, Kate doesn’t want to see herself down there.

She tries to crane her neck to look over her shoulder, and is captured by the fascinated look on her master’s face.

Sir Integra gets down on her knees, hands groping Kate’s ass and jiggling them. And, the thing is, she does it for a long time, sighing pleasurably at the way the meat bounces before finally tucking her face in-between.

“Sir!” Kate keens.

The master’s tongue twirls all over Kate’s pussy and rim, groaning on it, while her hands juggle the ass-cheeks. “Jesus, Kate, you taste so good!”

Kate, however, is long gone. Her eyes have crossed and her lips parted, sensing how the master is pressing her face against her ass, pushing her tongue deeper into Kate. “Sir, please!” Kate swallows her drool. “I need you, sir…”

“Um,” Sir Integra drawls. “How, exactly, do you need me?”

“In every way, sir!” Kate whines.

“How charming,” The master finally withdraws, levering herself up with the help of the desk’s ridge. “You see, Kate, I’m afraid I can’t help you if you don’t tell me what you need my help with.”

“Stop being a jerk.” Kate frowns, lips pouting. “You know exactly what I need help with.” Silently and unbidden, sort of, Sir Integra fits her cock between Kate’s thighs just below her wet pussy, and then she thrusts. “Sir, what’re you doing?”

“I took a guess, and I’m acting on it.” The master murmurs close to Kate’s ear enough to make her shiver. “Feel free to correct me anytime you want.”

This feels kind of good, to be honest, and Kate is too ashamed to admit it out loud; her master’s cock keeps rubbing against her clitoris enough for the stimulation to be enjoyable.

“You know that I want your cock inside me, don’t you?”

Sir Integra nibbles at Kate’s earlobe. “I don’t know what you want; it is best if you are vocal about it. Otherwise, I’ll just keep doing this until one of us comes.”

As a response, Kate reels her head to face her master, but she’s taken aback when forceful lips capture hers, kissing her so roughly like it’s the end of times.

“Tell me exactly what you want, Kate. I want to hear you say it.”

“I want you to fuck me–”

Sir Integra interjects. “No, I need the exact detail.”

Cowering, Kate lowers her gaze, and her chin eventually. With the way she’s bent over the desk, she can feel her boobs pressing on the hard, cold wood and her necklace just hanging there, dangling and making a soft clatter every time it touches the surface of the desk.

The master snaps her hips, as though tired of waiting for an answer and deciding to take matters into hand instead.

“Inside, I want it inside” –Sir Integra keeps thrusting away nonetheless so Kate knows that’s not detailed enough; she’s desperate to come and she doesn’t think she can preserve her dignity anymore– “I want your cock inside me. I want you to fuck me, hard and good.”

“That’s more like it.” The master slips her cock out from Kate’s thighs only to insert it inside her imploring, thirsty pussy. And the girl beneath arches off the desk, toes curling and fingers scratching the wood.

The moment Kate feels a hand twisting in her disheveled hair to make a ponytail and another capturing one of her arms behind her back, she knows she’s done for…


	17. Historic recurrence... Or Is It?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Vomit alert at the end of the chapter.

“Have you decided on what you want yet?”

Kate purrs into her master’s neck; after embarking on what Dr. Potts defined as ‘loud activity’, the master was meticulous enough to use tissues from the desk’s drawer and clean both herself and Kate. She made sure Kate’s stitches didn’t reopen and that the girl wasn’t in any type of pain, and, now, they’re reclined on the 3-seater sofa with Sir Integra circling Kate’s shoulders between her arms.

“Not yet,” Kate said. “I need time to think before I decide on anything. If you’re going to do whatever I ask, then it has to be worthwhile.”

“Now I’m getting worried.”

The girl chuckles, prolonged and lazy, her breath fans on Sir Integra’s collar. “No need to be, I’m not going to ask anything out of the line.”

“Are you going to ask me about love-related matters?”

The girl props her head off to look properly into her master’s eyes. “What, won’t you like it if I did?”

“Not exactly.” The master presses her lips together. “It is uncomfortable, that’s all.”

After an exhaled breath, Kate smiles. “So you’re telling me I can’t ask things like ‘have you ever been in love’?”

“Have you?”

“Wait, I asked first, and” –Kate holds out a finger– “just for the record, this isn’t part of the deal.”

“Maybe if you answer first I’ll find the same inspiration.” The other shrugs, and because Kate is desperate to know more about the person she’s in love with, she rides the wave. Watching her silence, however, the master decides to prompt Kate to answer. “So, have you?”

Kate lowers her gaze, begging her feelings not to betray her. “Yeah, I have.” The minute she feels the glare in Sir Integra’s eyes intensifying, she rushes to assure her. “But it wasn’t as intense, and it was years ago. I don’t even think he remembers me now.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Just a feeling,” Kate shrugs. “And maybe because I hurt him.”

“Let me guess, you cheated on him?”

“What kind of person do you take me for?” The magic user huffs, and only relaxes after the master pets her cheek as an apology. “No, that’s not what happened. I liked him a lot; he was very sweet to me. He was funny and smart. And romantic; God, you should have seen the things he made just for me. He did everything to make me feel special. And I did.” Kate’s smile starts dwindling. “But, soon after, he wanted to hurry things along and come meet my parents so we’d get married, and that kind of scared me off.”

“And why did it?”

“I was only eighteen years old, and I had only started college. I was under a lot of pressure, and not to mention I was still skeptical about my identity. My relationship with my family wasn’t at its best. A couple of my good friends had left me after finding out that I liked women as well.” Kate lets out a despondent sigh. “I felt like I was betraying him just having those thoughts, and I didn’t want to drag it on and hope for a miracle to happen.”

“I see.” From her tone, Sir Integra does sound sympathetic. “What did you do?”

“I told him I wanted some time off to think.” Kate tucks her head under the master’s neck again, to hide, probably. “I was a coward because I couldn’t face him about how I really felt, but I was also scared that he’d hate me and think that I used him or something.”

“How did you two break up?”

“In my ‘time-off’, I stopped talking to him altogether.” Kate sniffles. “He contacted my sister to try and fix things, but I was too stubborn to listen. Four months later, I wanted to know how he was doing, because I’d missed him a lot, but he’d already moved on.”

“Do you regret it now?” The master asks with her deep voice. “Do you regret breaking things off?”

“Honestly? At first, yeah, I did.” Kate clears her throat. “But after everything, I realized that going our separate ways was the best thing for us.” She lifts her chin. “You were right, this is really uncomfortable.”

“Oh, good, because I don’t want to feel uncomfortable.”

“That’s not fair!” Kate protests. “I should at least learn something or two about your past love escapades.”

“No, you should leave before someone barges in, and I” –sitting up, the master ushers to her desk– “should get back to work.”

“Fine,” Kate resigns. She knows her Alpha is trying to evade the subject, and just this once she’ll let her off. “But we made a bet and I won, so when I’m ready, you’re going to do as I say.”

Sir Integra’s pause is filled with smirking. “We’ll see about that.”

She’s pouting, and she doesn’t realize she is until Sir Integra’s eyes land on her lips. “What?”

“No, I’m just wondering.”

“About?” Kate prompts, eyelashes fluttering.

“It doesn’t seem easy to be this adorable and sexy at same time, but you pull it off like it’s natural.” It’s not only the words, but the calm and collected way Sir Integra blurts out _those_ words is what flushes Kate’s cheeks. “Embarrassed?” Kate refuses to look up, only tapping at her cheeks to alleviate the heat. “Come on” –Sir Integra drones playfully and forces Kate’s hand away from her cheeks– “You swallow my cock in your throat-pussy like it’s a lollipop, and you get embarrassed over a silly line like that!”

If anything, this is even more embarrassing than sucking cock! “You jerk!” Kate knows she can’t hide in her master’s neck, and she doesn’t have a pillow to use; she feels so exposed like this. Frustrated that she’s being cornered, Kate frowns.

This time, Sir Integra still doesn’t make amends; instead, she laughs at Kate’s misery. “Come here.” She motions to her lap.

Still skeptical, Kate remains seated where she is. “Why?”

“I’m trying to apologize.” The master taps her thigh with a hand and ushers Kate closer with the other. After nibbling on the inner side of her lower lip, Kate finally slides over her master’s lap, arms going around her shoulders. “That’s a good girl.”

Actually, Kate relaxes like this, even more when Sir Integra places her big hands on Kate’s hips and just strokes the area with ease.

“I feel like I need to thank you, for this and for the other night on Valentine’s Day,” Sir Integra said. “Even if it seemed like it wasn’t a big deal to me, I know that it was for you.” Kate keeps playing with the dark locks, nodding to what her master has expressed. “And for what it’s worth, I enjoyed it both times. I enjoyed _you_.”

That’s flattering. “On those two occasions only?”

“On other occasions, too.” Sir Integra’s hands slide to Kate’s ass cheeks, groping each in a hand. “I simply enjoy making love to you.”

Kate’s eyes are roaming her master’s. She didn’t say ‘I enjoy sleeping with you’ or ‘I enjoy fucking you’. She said ‘I enjoy making love’ and that’s why Kate couldn’t explain it right to Alina, and wasn’t even sure the woman would understand even if she did explain. Letting go of a sigh of relief, Kate leans forward and rests her forehead on her master’s.

“I love you,” she says in a shy whisper. “Now and always…”

*******

The days leading to Zuri’s birthday are filled with sporadic affection moments, and Kate especially loves the morning she woke up to Sir Integra wedging her face between Kate’s jaw and shoulder and groaning into it, talking about how nice it felt and about how she wished for the moment to last more.

That time in the master’s office was the only time they had penetrative sex, because Sir Integra decided that they couldn’t act recklessly again; Kate’s health was on the line.

Thus, those moments of affection usually ended with Sir Integra’s cock in Kate’s mouth and Sir Integra’s hand under Kate’s panties.

Katrina has been a little evasive, shifting away whenever Kate got the tiniest bit closer and replying with curt yes’ and no’s. Despite her attempts at making the lady unbend and despite the fact Katrina promised that they were cool, not only once or twice, Kate still felt tension between them.

Ian is… well, he’s Ian. He keeps true to his feelings of despise and he isn’t shy about showing it every chance he gets; dinners together have become more and more difficult to stomach lately.

Ever since he received the assignment of body-guarding Kate, Alucard has been less talkative. Even during get-togethers, he remains laconic, and only speaks when the master addresses him.

There’s that will-o wisp of hope concerning Seras, for she is the only person who expresses more than just a handful of words, and even thinks Kate worth the time. That’s probably one of the reasons Kate hasn’t decided to forgo showing up at the dinner table altogether.

“I want to go to a seaside town” Zuri has been asked where she wants to spend her birthday, and after some back and forth with Ian and Seras tossing multiple suggestions, the dark-skinned settles on a decision at last. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen the beach, and it’d be awesome if I can go there with all of you.”

Several serene smiles are directed at Zuri for her innocent wish, and the girl beams.

“Sir, will you come with us?”

After a long beat of silence and impatient anticipating, the master hums, swirling the wine in her glass. “If that’s what you want.”

Kate is sitting on the edge of the chair, and she grins, so do Zuri and Seras, getting excited over the idea of the beta’s birthday spent together with their master; however, Kate’s excitement doesn’t last when she remembers how her involvement in Sir Integra’s birthday only complicated things.

Even if she goes, there’s no guarantee that Mullo won’t trace the dark energy’s leftover and doom everyone on that beach; she still remembers how that bastard’s pet was hell-bent on striking her. Alina said Kate couldn’t use her magic, so if she goes and something bad happens, she wouldn’t be able to be of help.

With a soundless scoff, Kate sits properly on her chair and forces an open smile.

Somehow, the master picks up on Kate’s sudden detachment. She seizes the chance that everyone is conversing about the best seaside town to lean towards the girl and whisper. “What’s wrong?”

Kate shakes her head, never letting her smile fall. “Nothing, I just remembered that I can’t actually swim.”

Sir Integra cocks her head for a second. “Oh, yes!” she exclaims, all in a whisper. “I guess that means more swimming lessons for you.”

If that pertains to the water activities they’d done while being watched, it’d explain the master’s shit-eating grin.

This time, Kate’s smile falters and gets replaced by a blush, and she nods, framing the master’s cheek with her palm. “I’d love that.”

Even if she could learn how to swim, Kate decides it’s not safe if she goes. She doesn’t want to put any more people in danger, especially people she cares about. Consequently, when everyone retires to their rooms, Kate fetches the tribal bracelet from her drawer and hunts for Zuri’s door.

“Kate.” the shapely girl slides her head out of the door to look left and right, before allowing the magic user in. “What’s wrong, what brings you here at this hour?”

The brunette scratches at her nape with a hand and shows the bracelet in the other.

“What’s this?”

“Your birthday gift,” Kate said, watching how Zuri’s large eyes are studying the gold disks and the smooth gemstones. “I should’ve wrapped it; I’m sorry for the bad aesthetics.”

“No, no!” Zuri grins, showing those pearly teeth. “I love it so much!”

“That’s a relief.” Kate is happy Katrina’s choice didn’t disappoint; she’ll have to thank the lady tomorrow. “The clerk said only five were ever made. That’s real gold by the way.”

“How did you pay for this?”

“That’s–” Kate chews on her bottom lip. “I made an exchange. You don’t have to worry about it. No one is coming after it.” Zuri’s smile widens. “Here, let me help you put it on.”

“It’s so elegant and stylish!”

“And you want to know what’s even cooler?” Kate wiggles her eyebrows. “It’s unisex jewelry; you can wear it with anything.”

“That’s awesome,” Zuri said, now rolling her wrist in different directions to see how the bracelet fits on her. “Thank you, Kate. I really don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have to thank me,” Kate said. “Consider this an offering; you’ve been amazing to me. You helped me a lot of times and I feel like I never repaid you good enough.”

“You never have to repay me for anything.”

“That’s not the only reason.” Kate scoots closer to the other, her fingers popping each other nervously. “I don’t know how to say this, but I’d like to apologize for not being able to go with you to Whitby.”

Immediately, Zuri’s smile is taken over by a frown. “Why?”

“Let’s just say I think it’s safer if I stay.”

The reason why this feels awkward is because, a couple of days ago, Kate wanted to confront Zuri and see if they could have that same no-personal-space connection they used to have, but Zuri had looked uncertain.

“Is it because of what I said the other day?” Kate hinted at the time they were in the Gun Room and had that little argument. “I was pissed, and I regretted it the moment I blurted it out, I swear.”

“I know you didn’t mean to hurt me with what you said.” Zuri ruffled her curls and sighed. “But that was sort of an eye-opener, Kate. I think it’s best if we stay acquaintances. I don’t think it’s wise for us to get too involved with one another.”

That had felt like heartbreak. “Zuri, I swear to you that you’ll never hear any hurtful words from me again. I promise.” Kate didn’t want to lose Zuri to a trivial argument; although it’d sounded serious at the time, Kate would never go out of her _to_ hurt Zuri.

Zuri shook her head, seeming even more convinced. “I’ve made up my mind. I’m sorry.”

Kate tacks on. “I don’t want a repeat of what happened.”

The full-figured lady nods, as though fully understanding what Kate is hinting at. “Alright,” she said. “Well, I’m sorry to hear; just know that it won’t be the same without you. But you do what you have to do.”

The shorter girl nods in agreement.

“You should let the master in on this, though.” Zuri still can’t help but direct Kate to the right choices. “You don’t want to wait the whole night before you say anything.”

“I know.” Kate coughs and gulps; nervousness does dry the mouth, she finds. “She’s coming to my room tonight, I’ll tell her then.”

“Okay, well, if that’s all…”

Zuri trails off, and Kate nods and makes her way to the door. “Right, um, happy birthday, Zuri. I mean in case you guys leave early and I don’t get the chance to see you off.”

“Thanks so much,” Zuri said, and now lifting her hand to show off her bracelet. “And thanks for this.”

Pleased, Kate heads to her room in light steps; that actually went better than she expected, and she expected Zuri to refuse opening the door for her. Kate is stupid for thinking the beta was immature enough to actually do that.

Upon arriving to her room, Kate doesn’t find Sir Integra inside. She decides to head to the office and bring the master here; Kate has found those little walks from the office to her room with Sir Integra by her side chatting away about whatever subject that popped up for that day to be so comforting.

The moment she goes in, she hears the door across the desk clicking closed. She catches sight of a black dress and a white apron belt; right away, she knows one of the maids has just left.

“Who was that?” Kate asks, and Sir Integra looks up from her laptop. No answer comes, and Kate has to peer through the dimness to read her master’s expression, finding it set in hard lines. She walks up to Sir Integra, brows slowly furrowing. “Is something wrong?”

Sir Integra shakes her head, flicking her eyes to the illuminated screen of her PC. “That was Tess; she took the empty glass and emptied the ashtray.”

The brunette climbs her master’s lap, arms wrapping securely around those broad shoulders. “It’s getting late, aren’t you tired?”

“No, I’m not.”

Normally –and that state of normalcy is quite recent for them, mind you, but it has been normal for Sir Integra to place her hands on Kate’s hips whenever the girl strides her. However, she keeps her hands on the armrests now, as though deliberately avoiding any contact with the girl.

Kate thinks maybe she’s just paranoid; Sir Integra’s had a long day and she must excuse her once in a while.

“If that’s so, then go back to work. Don’t mind me.”

It’s quite odd, almost unheard of, how Kate’s only been hugged by a selective group of people, her parents (only if they haven’t seen her for a long time), two of her closest friends (for the same reasons as her parents) and, that’s it.

That’s why nobody can understand just how safe this feels for Kate; Sir Integra’s body gives off a natural high heat and a soothing security the girl’s felt nowhere else before.

“My feet are going numb.” The master drones, making no effort to get Kate off of her lap though.

“Are you calling me fat?” Kate jokes, letting out a cheery laugh.

“You’re putting pressure on the nerves; have you any idea how annoying that is?”

Befuddled, Kate pulls away to fully eye her master. “Fine, I’m getting off your lap.” All Sir Integra does is prop her elbow on the armrest and lean her cheek on it. “What’s wrong, you seem crankier than usual. Did something happen? Is this not a good time?”

“I have a lot of reports to write and submit; I need to get back to work. You’re distracting. Tell me why you’re here.”

Ah, it’s like that! Kate lets out a breath of relief; it’s good to know she has that kind of effect on her master.

“Yeah, I wanted to talk to you about tomorrow.” Kate sits her rear on the edge of the desk. “I already told Zuri; I should have told you first, but things just happened.”

“What is it?”

She feels her pulsation pounding louder and louder the more silent this vast office room gets. Kate fixes her master with a hard stare. “I can’t go with you to Whitby.”

“And why is that?”

Answering can be tricky; no one wants to open that can of worms. Kate knows something has to be said, although she thinks things would be better left unsaid.

“You know, with everything that happened” –Kate’s eyes fall on the curse’s mark marring her master’s face to further indicate what she’s referring to– “I just don’t think it’s a good idea.”

As a way to escape the flashback, maybe, Sir Integra returns her attention to her laptop, typing away and pressing different keys. “Very well, then.”

“That’s it? That’s all you have to say?”

“What do you want me to say, exactly?” The master scowls even deeper at the screen. “You already made up your mind.”

“I know, but, I expected fewer leniencies. I expected you to object to me staying behind.” Kate throws her hands in the air. “I expected a lot of things, but not this.”

“It is only one day, so what difference is it going to make?”

That actually makes sense; Kate is happy her dramatism was just for jest. “Right.” She groans lifting off the desk. “I’m going to go to my room; should I wait up for you?”

“This is going to take a while.” Sir Integra points at her laptop. “Don’t wait.”

Kate nods, leaning forward now to place a languid kiss to her master’s forehead. “You too, babe, don’t stay up too late.”

The following day, Kate wakes up late, and she wakes up to an empty bed. Not only that, but she knows for certain that Sir Integra didn’t make it to her room at all; perhaps hating to wake Kate up from her sleep and deciding not to sleep in the girl’s bed.

She decides to go for a trip to the stables to annoy Fajr a little, and get more info on his plan to marry Katrina, why not. He’s not going to chase her off; he’s too nice to do that and that’s why Kate is going to exploit him.

After having a late lunch in the kitchens and arguing with Mrs. Marcy whether tomatoes are fruits or vegetables; she’d like to think she won that argument by providing stone-hard evidence that anything with seeds is a fruit, but Mrs. Marcy won’t give her that.

There he is, Fajr, wearing a flannel shirt, jeans and knee high rubber boots. He’s mucking out the first stall on the right side with a shovel, and he looks up when Kate pops her head in.

“Hi!” She greets, her smile widening.

“Kate, hello!” He exclaims. “Give me just three minutes and I’ll be right there with you.”

“Where’s Mr. Alfred? I haven’t seen him in a long time.” The girl asks as she looks around for a bit, following the sound of a soft clatter in the back of the stalls.

“You didn’t know?”

“Know what?” Kate finally pinpoints the source, finding one of the horses peeking out of the window in its stall door.

“He quit the job last week,” Fajr informs.

“How come I didn’t hear anything about it?” Kate exclaims. “I should have at least thanked him for his help,” She said, petting Friesian's glossy black coat and smiling at the way it snorts and neighs softly. “He was the first friend I made when I started working here. He was always so patient with me, even though I messed up my tasks countless times.”

“Yeah, he's a good man.” Fajr’s voice sounds closer that Kate finds him heading her way when she looks to her right. “I’m done. Let’s go grab some coffee.”

She probably missed him because he was working outside the stables but there’s a middle-aged groom dressed in a dirt-blotched T-shirt and light jeans, and a pair of yellow rubber boots brushing another horse’s long, rich mane.

“That’s Richard,” Fajr provides. “He’s my new assistant.”

Kate gives the bearded man an impressed smirk. “Look at you!” she said. “You have your own assistant now.” He rolls his hazel eyes and makes his way to the manor’s main entrance, but Kate stops him. “Wait, I want to go downtown. Just come back after you’ve cleaned up; I’ll go bring Katrina. Meet you at the gate in ten.”

*******

Katrina is just not loosening up –if anything, she looks grouchier than she’s been in the past few days. Even her boyfriend’s presence and ice-cream on her table can’t cheer her up.

“This isn’t a funeral.” Kate has finally had enough of the girl’s dark mood; she’s affecting everyone in this parlor. “Or perhaps you want to go to a different place?”

“No, I’m good.”

Again, with the curt responses!

Kate sends an SOS to Fajr; he’s her boyfriend, and maybe he can talk some sense into her. If he lets Kate handle it, the girl can’t promise Katrina’s face won’t end up smudged with that ice-cream she’s supposed to eat but is only staring emptily at.

“Sweetheart,” he starts; his voice gentle. “What’s wrong, do you want to order something else?” This time, it’s Kate who rolls her eyes. She’s giving it five minutes, and if Fajr doesn’t put his girl in check, Kate is happy to do it for him. “We can go to that Shawarma place you love so much.”

Of course Katrina has to go and make it hard for him, shaking her head like that’s supposed to mean something.

“Alright, you little shit.” Kate is fed up; she doesn’t hate the lady but this is dragging on for no reason. “Eat your ice-cream and put a smile on your face; you’re scaring the little kids. You don’t have to like it here, but try a little harder for your man.”

“Kate,” Fajr goes to argue, taking his girlfriend’s side naturally; Kate isn’t offended, she expected it. “That’s –it’s a little too harsh.”

“That frown on her face like she sucked on a lemon is harsher.” Kate points at Katrina’s face, knowing tough love is what can change this. “Lighten up a little, will you. I mean, how many times do you get to eat ice-cream and enjoy nice weather?”

“I want to go back.”

Fajr glares at Kate because, obviously, her tough-love method only fruited opposite results of what it was meant to happen. The brunette cowers under his glare and shrugs.

He wraps an arm around Katrina and lifts the other to take a look at his watch. “It’s close to 5. We can go back if that’s what you want.”

Kate scoffs. “I’m not going anywhere. I ordered black raspberry ice-cream and I’m not going until I’ve eaten it.” The thing is, Kate knows Katrina is just being sulky, and she knows why. But that ship has sailed; she’s acting like Kate went off to push wheelchairs off cliffs or to punch babies in the face. “And I think you should do the same.”

That kind of settles it; it’s like a silent agreement where Katrina stabs a spoon into her Sorbet and Fajr watches her eat without removing his arm away.

It’s around six thirty when they finally make it back to the manor. Fajr jokes about how he’s going to be farting rainbow Gelatos for the next two weeks, while Kate compliments him for standing in solidarity with the LGBT community.

As they approach the parked cars in the driveway, Katrina’s posture becomes rather tense. She swivels her head to different directions as though hoping to spot something, or someone.

“What’s wrong?” Fajr asks.

Katrina snaps wide eyes at him; she’s evolved from brooding to having a maniacal look that Kate can’t help but worry.

“Hey, are you okay?” It can’t be some sort of a threat, like a monster, because Kate would have sensed it. Besides, since when does Katrina own a magical danger detector? No, this is about something else.

“Pull over,” Katrina orders, and the moment Fajr stops the vehicle, his girlfriend shoots out from the door not even bothering to close it behind her.

The two passengers left inside exchange a look before following Katrina’s suit and exiting the car, rushing after her. Fajr manages to catch up to her and clasp her wrist to stop her.

“Tell me what’s going on!”

The raven-haired lady looks from Fajr to Kate, and then finally at the ground. It almost nuances some type of betrayal she’s mourning, but no one can affirm Kate’s doubts but Katrina herself, and she isn’t talking.

“Katrina, what’s wrong?” Kate draws near her as though approaching an injured animal. “Are you feeling sick?”

“Kate” –Katrina doesn’t utter the name, she breathes it out like it’s a sob– “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

Fajr goes to hold her hand but she yanks her arm away from his grasp. He stares fixedly at her as does Kate, both of them trying to comprehend what the lady is panicking about but to no avail.

“Sweetheart,” Fajr tries again; Kate admits, it’s charming how he never gives up. “Let’s go somewhere private, alright? And then you can tell me what’s going on, what do you say?”

That’s a great idea! If the two of them keep bombarding her with questions, it’s only going to scare her more. 

Kate always wondered how lighting the first arc lamp felt for the chorus of scientists who witnessed it after centuries of darkness, but her query stops today as the torch of her assumptions ignites and Katrina’s shiftiness no longer remains a mystery.

Things have been going great, but Kate should have seen this coming; right after catching sight of that black dress and the white apron ribbons last night, Sir Integra’s attitude towards Kate lapsed into the gruffness she used to witness during the days of her captivity.

“You _told_ her, didn’t you?” The accentuated word sounds like a growl.

Katrina’s chest is heaving. She shakes her head in a matter that denotes a tragic ending for a movie she saw and doesn’t wish to remember it. “I –I had no choice!”

“You had no –” Kate cuts herself off to think; arguing now is not only pointless, but it’s a complete waste of time. She walks past Katrina and makes her way to the entrance despite Fajr calling her for an explanation.

The cars parked in the driveway mean the pack and the Alpha have arrived not long ago, and the girl only needs to find the master so she can clean this mess.

She searches the office first. If Katrina told her everything yesterday, it’s a miracle that Sir Integra didn’t react right then and there; she was holding in her wrath while Kate cuddled on her lap. This, again, explains the master’s detached behavior yesterday. She finds no one in the office, and none of the maids have seen the master. Kate decides to check all the rooms frequented by Sir Integra before risking the involvement of the betas.

This leaves the Gun Room, the pool and the master’s room.

Pillars making the walls of this sweet love bubble she managed to build for her and her master come crashing down, and the feeling of loss this gives her is enough to make the most seasoned pirate wander the sea, forever unfound.

The master bedroom is neat and clean, and, knowing the situation is too serious for her to be dawdling here and reminiscing about the times she spent here, Kate decides to search the places she counted earlier, only to find them empty as well.

What could have Katrina possibly told the master?

Her legs carry her between labyrinths of halls until Tess cuts off her aimless drifting, telling her the master is waiting in Kate’s room. Kate’s legs move again, this time driven with a resolution to lead her to her room, but the closer she gets, the tighter her heart becomes.

Even if Katrina told the master everything, there’s no real reason for her to get mad at Kate, because she was just meeting with a friend, right? What’s wrong with that, it’s not like they met to scheme the world’s perilous apocalypse!

She doesn’t think the pull of gravity has ever felt so palpable until this moment here as she tries to lift her hand and twist the knob. Inside, she finds that one of the bedside lamps has been turned on. She studies the room: the humid scent of almond soap is still wafting in the air after her shower this afternoon. The balcony’s door is closed, but the curtains have been drawn and only shadowy light manages to infiltrate the fabric.

On the edge of her bed, Sir Integra is sitting slouched and facing the balcony, her elbows on her thighs, and Kate discerns a puff of smoke drafting above her head.

It’s alright; she didn’t do anything wrong; she was only protecting Alina and herself.

“You’re here,” she starts, walking up to her master who doesn’t change anything about her posture. “I thought you wouldn’t be back until tomorrow. How was the birthday party?”

Upfront, there’s a blank expression on Sir Integra’s face, so that blows because Kate can’t read her. As for clothing, she’s dressed in a dress shirt that brings out the contradicting color of her hair, olive green trousers with a black belt and wingtip loafers.

She’s not answering, which means Kate’s technique of beating around the bush is only irritating the master. She clears her throat; she already decided that it was fine, and that she can handle this.

“I wanted to tell you.” At last, the master shows some reaction by flicking her heterochromic eyes up at Kate’s. “And I guess I forgot.”

“You forgot to tell me that you bumped into a Strega that belongs to a coven of cannibalistic witches!”

Kate goes past the snarl; keep it calm, she tells herself. Avoid starting a fight. “First of all, she’s no longer part of the coven, which, in case you’ve forgotten, doesn’t exist anymore.” That’s a good point in her opinion. “Second, I just don’t understand what the big deal about it is.”

“Oh, I don’t know” –Sir Integra scoffs, shrugging to further show her disdain– “Maybe because you signed a contract for me and still went against the rules, or how about the fact that you’re aligning with my enemies!”

“Alina isn’t an enemy!” It’s hard to keep her voice down if she’s desperate to get the point across before the master gets to say anything. “She helped us both; she’s a friend!”

Calmly, the master asks, “Do you swap spit with all your friends?”

Unbelievable, so Katrina went and told her about the kiss!

“I didn’t kiss her; _she_ kissed _me_.” Kate defends. “Besides, she was just fooling around.”

“That’s your argument?” Sir Integra shakes her head like she’s done with Kate and her excuses, before lifting up to full height. “What are you planning, exactly? It seems to me that all this scheming isn’t for nothing. Tell me the truth.”

How frustrating! “The truth” –Kate grits out– “is that I did not plan for us to meet and it was coincidental. She checked on my stitches, told me to watch my back and sent me home with remedies.” They were even nice enough to give Katrina a cup of tea; she’s so ungrateful. “I didn’t tell you because I imagined your reaction would be like this.”

“Of course it is!” The master bellows to make Kate clamper up. “You conspired with our enemy. Hans is wanted for the murder of tens of innocent people, and those two witches were accomplices in several cases of manslaughter!”

“Lin never wanted to be part of that, and neither did Kannika.” Kate reasons. “They want to do what’s right now.”

“And you know that, how –because you’re good buddies now?” Sir Integra snarls, now stepping forward which unsurprisingly causes Kate to draw back. “You want to know what happened in Whitby?”

That instant, Kate’s heart drops to her stomach; what if her staying behind wasn’t the right decision.

“We were attacked.” She bites out, and the girl sees the ire swirling inside the master’s beautiful eyes. “By the same Hound and the same guy.”

“Is –was anyone hurt?” Kate searches up her master, getting closer for a better look. “Are you okay –he didn’t hurt you, did he?”

Mullo! That bastard! He attacked again but only after he made sure Kate wasn’t there to hinder his plans. This is bad. Not because he attacked –well, that, too. But he attacked when Kate wasn’t there, and that’s worse than her being there.

The master’s silent scrutinizing warrants Kate’s worry more.

“I –you don’t actually think that I had something to do with it, do you…?”

Sir Integra leers –she leers like that’s _exactly_ what she is thinking. “The only people who knew we were heading to Whitby were the six of us. But you’re the only one who stayed behind. It fits, doesn’t it?”

“Integra.” Kate reaches up to said master’s lapels, just clinging. “I swear I had nothing to do with it!”

“You met with the coven just days before the attack!” It's a little wonder that she doesn’t remove Kate’s hand, but her body language is suggesting that she isn’t comfortable with Kate being so close. “Now, Ian has to suffer for your actions!”

Without being told, Kate removes her hands to cup her face instead. “Wait, wait!” she scrubs her face and rakes her fingers through her hair, action showing frustration. “Okay, I can tell you everything I know. I won’t hold back anything. But I had no idea that Mullo was going to attack; my meeting with Lin was just a coincidence, I swear to you.”

“So you guys are on first name-basis now?”

“Don’t be like that.” Kate grimaces. “I don’t know how I can make you believe that I had nothing to do with the attack. I didn’t go because I wanted to avoid what happened on your birthday so I stayed.”

“Well, it happened, and Ian is in a critical condition.”

“I can heal him; just take me to him!” Kate motions at the door. “I can do something for him.”

The master, however, doesn’t budge. Like a planted tree, she remains in her spot, tall and intimidating; especially that Kate has no idea what she’s thinking.

“I was wrong to trust you. I thought if I did, something would happen and you’ll become good. I was wrong; the very reason why you infiltrated my organization in the first place was to get to me.” Although the master’s words are cutting, her tone remains leveled.

Kate bites her bottom lip to keep from screaming her words. “You can trust me when I say that I’ve never betrayed you. Everything I did was to keep you and myself safe. All I did was for you!”

“For me?” The master scoffs. “What did you do for me, because I look and all I see is someone who used me.”

Kate feels hot tears pouring down her cheeks, and more held captive in her eyes hazing her sight. “Is that really what you think?”

The other shakes her head, and Kate thinks, with hopeful delight, that the master is going to deny, she is disappointed when those eyes’ glare sharpens more. “Do you want to know what I think?” All Kate does is look, helpless. “I think you’re full of lies; all you do is lie. That’s probably why your friends left you.”

Immediately, Kate wraps her arms around herself, hating how the very tubes of her heart are clogging with grief. “Don’t say that. That –it’s not nice.”

A beat of silence grows, Kate staring at the floor unable to look up, before Sir Integra decides to leave the room.

“Stay in the room,” she instructs as she makes her way to the door. “Alucard will continue supervising you; I need to go check on how Ian’s doing.”

Kate dashes after her. “I can go with you; I’d like to see if I can help him.”

Sir Integra has reached the door, but she stops and looks over her shoulder. “You’ve done enough,” she said. “I still need to hear what you know; don’t go anywhere.”

As the door closes, Kate wallows in the misfortunes that have befallen her; this must be a dream, because none of this feels real! How is Ian in a critical condition when he’s a vampire turned by The King of Vampires himself! And how was Mullo able to find out that the pack was heading to Whitby? And, God, how is Zuri faring in all this?

Is she going to hate Kate for how her birthday also turned to shit?

Kate feels bile churning her stomach and quickly shooting up her gullet, so she rushes to the bathroom and sinks to her knees beside the toilet bowl, retching into it…


	18. You Make the Change

A few hours ago, Kate was told to wait, and, despite not being certain she could just go on with that order knowing that Ian might need her expertise, Kate waited but the master never showed up that night.

The following day, Kate wore her clothes in the early morning; it really helped having had no wink of sleep. On her way to the office, however, Zuri donning a trench coat over her school uniform and carrying her school bag was spotted by Kate’s red-rimmed eyes, and Kate knew she owed the girl another apology.

“You’re up early.” Ever since her services as a maidservant were put on hold, Kate’s sleep had been all kind of off. It must have been quite surprising for Zuri to see Kate up so early; it almost felt magical, like seeing a leprechaun dancing its way through.

The brunette fumbled with her pinky, twisting it but was disappointed when it didn’t pop. “Well, I couldn’t sleep–” she noticed the tribal bracelet on Zuri’s wrist and her nervousness turned into remorse. “Zuri, about what happened in Whitby,” she went to apologize but Zuri stopped her.

“We’ll talk about when this I get back,” she said with a little smile. “I’m late for school.”

Kate felt like she wanted to insist, but that almost felt selfish; Zuri was willing to talk, but only after she carried out her responsibilities as a beta. With a go-ahead signaled by the jut of her chin, Kate allowed Zuri to go about her day.

Determined even more now, she made her way towards the office room, settled on clearing her name, only to find Walter and Sir Integra walking down the hallway side by side, expressions turning grim upon seeing her.

“I need to talk to you.”

Sir Integra and Walter had come to a stop after Kate came in their way, but the master picked up walking again, prompting Walter to tag on. “I told you to wait in your room.”

Kate spun to follow her master’s gaze, hers grimacing. “I waited the whole night, but you never showed up. Are you just going to keep avoiding me like this?” She wasn’t going to be left there, aspiring for answers that no one wished to give. If she had to, Kate was going to go as far as battle for them.

Sir Integra cocked her head at the girl; as though flouting Kate’s furious defying. “I can do as I damn well please.”

“Then, aren’t you wronging me this way?” Kate’s very veins were trembling, but she could not stand the idea of allowing the past to repeat itself; she had to learn from it and do things differently. “Or, perhaps, you think I’m going to go along with it?”

With her breath drawing in and chest puffing out, the master strode towards Kate who stood her ground.

“Sir.” Her stare grew worried and her tone uncertain. “You’re making a big mistake; what would I gain from such a cowardly attack? And Zuri is dear to me; I’d never do that to her” –Kate gasped as the master came to a stop right before her– “Don’t do this. Don’t turn your back on me now, not after everything we’ve been through.”

“Listen to me, you talentless witch!” As they stood only inches apart, Sir Integra bent down to whisper the rest into Kate’s ear; however, what followed was something Kate did not expect. “The library in the west wing, at noon. Wait for me there.”

The hot breath and the slithering of the master’s tongue on Kate’s earlobe usually made her heart flutter, but Kate only stared on with wide, indeterminate eyes. She kept on looking at the retreating form of her master, accompanied by Walter who didn’t nod in acknowledgment like he used to.

Kate couldn’t stop her ponderous ravings about what it could possibly be, and about what the master could be planning to meet with Kate in the library. Even Katrina, solemn and angry, showing up with her lunch roused no urge greater than the urge to know, she  _ wished _ to know, so she went to the west wing at noon, despite the threat of her inevitable demise.

The knob of the giant, arched door remains stubborn, refusing to give at first but Kate remembers how shoving it always solved the problem. She enters, and is met with the familiar eerie and silent darkness. Her mind redefines the shapes she herself put in order many months ago, before her eyes can even adapt to the dimness –a hand suddenly cups her mouth to keep her from yelling; however, Kate refuses to yield as she thrashes against the firm body behind her and screams into the stranger’s palm.

“Quiet!” A voice chides into her ear, and Kate, realizing that it’s her master’s, relaxes. “Don’t make a noise.”

Kate nods; this whole situation is bizarre but she rides the wave nonetheless.

The hand doesn’t let her go, nor does the arm around her neck dragging her towards the left side of the room where the master nudges the main post of the staircase with her elbow. The stairs make a soft rumbling noise before they start moving like an escalator; the only difference is that these lift up to reveal another passageway beneath where the staircase used to be.

If possible, it looks even darker than the library room, puffing out a dank and dusty scent that reminds Kate of Spring cleaning with her mom.

There’s no way Kate is going in there!

She glares at her master’s shining red eyes, in hopes to relay her fear but Sir Integra is already dragging her inside. Kate struggles against the master’s hold but the bulky arms seem to hold her tighter; on one hand, Kate is embarrassed to admit to fearing a ghost popping up on them, and on the other, she wants to know where this is going.

What a stupid thing to hope for; obviously, this secret door doesn’t open to the Garden of Eden!

The same soft rumble resounds before the staircase moves again, closing on them and allowing the darkness to swallow everything.

“We’re here.”

Kate looks up, but, since she can’t see anything, she hopes the master didn’t make all the effort only to slam Kate’s head against a pillar. She hears a click, though, followed by the rattling of metal. As they walk ahead, the floor beneath Kate’s soles absorbs the noise of her high-heels and that’s how she realizes they’re in a different room with possibly matted flooring.

“Close your eyes.” And Kate does, and though she does, she still feels ghostly bluish luminescence penetrating her pores. “It’s safe if you want to look now. The light won’t hurt your eyes.”

Slowly, Kate opens her eyes. At first, she has to narrow them to make out her surroundings, finding that they’re inside a vast, white and pad-walled room with LED light cables trunked onto the ceiling. No windows. It looks like a room in the psychiatric ward.

Sir Integra’s arms free the girl at last, and she shows no hesitance when Kate reels to glower at her.

“What is this place?”

With her hands slipping into the side pockets of her trousers, Sir Integra shrugs and scans the room. “A hideout,” she starts, now facing Kate’s questioning eyes. “This was built after WW2 by my grandfather. I enhanced it.” She juts her chin toward the walls. “A solid wall structure, insulated with a timber stud frame that’s filled with 60kg of acoustic mineral wool. Everything is soundproof; no noise can come in or go out.”

That’s good and all, still, this looks like a place where people get locked up in. “Why did you bring me here?”

The master nods, acknowledging Kate’s attempt to talk about their current situation. “To put it simply, my organization has been infiltrated.”

Hasn’t Kate been telling them that for months now? Does she need to fake-gasp so she doesn’t end up rolled up in a yoga mat and stuffed between the timber frames?

She purses her lips and shrugs; if they think it’s her and they wish to lock her in here, then, at least, she won’t go down begging. “And, what, you think it’s me?”

“No,” The master said. “I know it isn’t you. Just as I know you weren’t the one who ambushed us in Whitby.”

A fierce force of overwhelming feelings collides with Kate like a brick wall, and she snorts, unable to believe. “What’re you trying to say?”

This time, the playfulness in Sir Integra’s eyes deepens. “I may be stubborn, Kate, but I’m not stupid; I know someone is trying to frame you.” While Kate remains speechless, her tear-filled eyes doing all the talking, the master decides to relax her shoulders and look about the room. “Kate, I want to tell you a story, and it’s quite long, I’m afraid. Will you still listen?”

Is the master planning to coax Kate to sleep by telling her a story, so she wouldn’t have to chain her or anything? The language of Sir Integra’s body tells Kate the master isn’t carrying any ill intentions towards her; if anything, she seems relaxed. Kate nods, eyes fluttering. “Yeah –yes, sure.”

The master sits down cross-legged against the wall, hands draped on her knees. “Ever since you showed up before me, I’d been waiting for the moment you’d strike. When the attack finally happened, it was so beautifully orchestrated to frame you that I honestly believed it was your doing. That it was you who wished to curse me. That it was you who wanted to do me harm.”

She faces Kate with those same stubborn and shimmering eyes and doesn’t comment on the way the girl is shaking her head, beseeching her master to not believe in any of it. “And because of that I despised you for a long time. I hated you, and I wanted you to suffer for what you caused me to become. I used you, as if you were just another pawn on my checkerboard, and I felt no remorse.”

This time, Kate lowers her head; remembering that particular period post-the attack lends her with a troubled mind that wishes for a break already.

This is only hurting them, and the girl doesn’t understand why the master is bringing it up.

“Sir –”

“No.” The master snarls. “I need to say this. I need to tell you, before something happens again and it’d be too late.”

Letting out a shaky breath, Kate nods, giving her permission and knowing all-too-well how devastating it’s going to be.

Sir Integra rubs her thumbs with her indexes, looking elsewhere to recount the rest of her story. “That –it’s how I truly felt. However, after I decided to explore you myself, I realized that things were quite different than we’d thought.” She shows a hint of a smile. “I bedded you thinking I’d get to extort some info from you, but all I got, instead, were these” –she flicks her wrist to the direction of her chest– “warm, fuzzy feelings that I could not describe. That I feared. I mean, just when I’d thought that I had you completely under my spell, I realized that it was the other way around.”

Kate tries to chuckle, but that’s the moment her tears spill down her cheeks.

“Kate, I –” The master shakes her head, as though still in disbelief. “I keep trying to contain my feelings because I am yet to get past my grudge against you. I want to forgive and forget already, so that I can truly allow myself to love you.”

Kate’s chuckle bursts into a sob, and she hides her face behind her hands. “Don’t do this to me.” She cries. “I –you have no idea how long I believed that you hated me. That you were only using me and, maybe, that’s how it was going to be until you decided I was of no use.”

“That’s not–” the master starts, but her assertive tone soon wanes. “I’m sorry I made you feel that way,” she said. “I stand by what I said, though. I want it to be different, and I know I haven’t really given you any reason to trust me, but my feelings are genuine.”

With her tongue twirling around her eyetooth, Kate takes longer to get her emotions in check and study her choices. She realizes  _ this  _ –her master coming clean about the way she feels towards Kate and about her wishes for them to be more than what they currently are is what Kate has been aspiring for all this time.

Refusing now would not only be hypocritical, but extremely counter-productive as well.

If Kate and Sir Integra join alliances –assuming her powers will return after she’s healthy, that is– and join bodies and souls, the Hellsing organization will be the most powerful in the world.

“Do you remember our deal the other day?”

Sir Integra looks puzzled but still answers. “Yes, I do.”

“Do you remember that we agreed that you’d do anything I asked?”

“Yes, of course. Kate, I don’t understand how that’s relevant.”

“This is what I want,” she starts, and it doesn’t escape her how the look in her master’s eyes becomes more attentive. “I want to know if there really is a part of you that loves me, even if just a tiny, little bit.”

The master takes a moment to eye Kate’s determined expression, before lifting up her chin. “Yes, there is.”

Kate blows a weary sigh that ejects her sorrows and disappointments, leaving only hopefulness. “Okay.” She smiles, making her way to sit in front of her master. “Tell me what you want.”

“I can’t force myself to go past my grudges, but if I learn the truth, then maybe things will change,” she starts, “It feels like there are pieces missing, so I need to be shown the whole board.”

“Are you okay with me telling you everything?” Kate asks. “Aren’t you worried I might fabricate things to play you?”

“I know you won’t.” God, the look in her eyes can melt iron! “Kate, nobody knows that I’ve brought you here, not even Walter. Do you know what that means?”

“Sir, I’ve never lied to you, not when it mattered.” Kate appreciates the master trusting only her, but Kate has earned that. It wasn’t some type of privilege the master thinks herself is giving the girl. “All I did, all I ever did, it was to protect you.”

Breathing out a nasal sigh, Sir Integra places her hand on Kate’s cheek. “I know that, love. And that is why you’re the only one I can trust.”

“I don’t know when it started, to be honest.” Kate has decided to reveal her secrets at last and, deep down, hoping it wouldn’t backfire. “I came here because I’d fallen in love with you, so I wanted to be near you. I never told you about my magic, yes, but I already told you that I don’t make a point of going around and telling people about it.”

“Yes, I remember, quite vividly.” The master hums. “It’s alright. You don’t have to explain your choices to me anymore; I should’ve respected them more back then.”

Kate nibbles on her bottom lip for a bit. “I’d been living with a code to never use magic unless people were in serious danger. However, after you came home injured that night, I decided to go for a hunting trip.”

“Are you talking about whatever was killing my men back then?” she marvels. “Were you the one who killed the monster?”

“I didn’t kill her.” Kate lifts both hands. “Let’s not burn through the events here, alright?”

“You’re right. Please, continue.”

“Anyway, I searched for the entity, thinking it was a Lamia; it wasn’t. It was a Naga. The reason why you couldn’t catch it is because she disguised herself as a male soldier. Those creatures can transform their bodies into male or female, and that’s how they trick their victims.”

“I see, now!” The master exclaims. “No wonder we couldn’t find it.”

“Well, the Naga, Celine, and I, had a one-on-one. Of course, I came on top. I didn’t kill her; I don’t kill any of the things I hunt. I put them in cryo, and they sleep. Forever.” Kate mimics her master’s squinting eyes. “Okay, it is kind of terminating, but they go peacefully.”

“Go on.”

“Word got out, and her boyfriend found out.” Kate smirks. “He’s the same Vedmak we saw in Germany.”

“Now, the image is starting to get clearer.”

“Yeah.” Kate scratches at her neck. “He was pissed after I removed his girlfriend from existence, so he decided to  _ orchestrate _ that plan. He turned you because he wanted me to experience the same pain he did. And I must say, it worked.”

“Kate…”

“Sometimes, I” –she sniffles– “I wonder what could have happened if I stayed true to the code. My involvement only complicated things, and I blamed myself for that for months.”

“You didn’t know.” Sir Integra cups Kate’s cheeks with both hands this time. “How could you have known? You were only eliminating a threat that had already caused so much mayhem and so many deaths. There was no other way.”

“I know, and I keep trying to convince myself, but the thoughts are just there.”

One of Sir Integra’s hands slips through Kate’s hair and settles on her neck. “Even back then, you were looking out for me, weren’t you?”

Kate’s brows go up to her hairline, as though wondering the same thing.

“I should have known.” The master shakes her head. “The things I said to you –God, Kate, you should’ve said something!”

“It doesn’t matter now,” Kate means it. And because there was no way she’d tell anyone and risk her safety and everyone’s. “What’s done is done.”

“Is it safe to assume that killing the Naga is why the Vedmak wants you dead so much?”

“It is, but, sir, there’s something wrong about this recent attack.”

“What do you mean?”

Kate licks her lips. “Mullo, he’s quite strong. He almost had me in Älvdalen. When I tried to stop the curse from turning you, he stopped me so easily. Even in Germany, I was right there, injured and helpless, but he allowed me to escape because he wants to take me down when I’m at my strongest.” Kate’s eyes are zealous. “That attack in Whitby is –I don’t know, it doesn’t seem like his style.”

“I see.” the master isn’t overlooking Kate’s remark’s; she’s considering them. “I find your explanation quite plausible, which is all the more reason I want to believe you, but I couldn’t mistake that Hound and that Mullo guy anywhere. They were there.”

“Did they attack you?” Kate kneels and skids closer to her master. “You said you were attacked, by whom?”

Sir Integra’s frown becomes more palpable, adding more lines to her forehead. “It –I’d never seen anything like it. It had a mass of feelers and tentacle-like tube feet. It was enormous!”

“What about Mullo and his Hound?” Kate prompts. “Was he the one who ordered the beast to attack?”

“I’m not quite sure.”

This is where it doesn’t make sense. “Sir, think about it, you saw how strong the Hound is, and I witnessed first-hand how powerful Mullo is, so why would he send a Goddamn octopus after you when he can just end you himself?”

“That’s –perhaps, he only wished to scare us.”

“I know that doesn’t sound convincing even to you, sir.” Kate shakes her head, slanting forward to look right into her master’s eyes. “Was he even there, corporeal, I mean?”

“I don’t know, Kate. You think he wasn’t?”

Kate hides her maniacal sneer behind her small hands. “Oh, this is terrific!” she jumps to her feet, the excitement being too much for her to continue sitting there. “Do you have any idea what this means?”

The master only stares on, brilliant eyes questioning.

“That bastard spent all his resources to get back at me for killing the Naga. He turned you and framed me. He did everything to turn everybody I know and love against me. And, now, someone is playing the same game on him!”

“Are you certain?”

She vibrates with a sardonic laugh. “Oh, there’s a word for this, I’m sure. What was it that Fajr used to say: The magic has turned on the magician!”

“Why would anyone go to such lengths to make him the mastermind behind the Whitby attack?”

Kate fans in front of her master again, her hands on her master’s shoulders. “Sir, you need to start asking the right questions. If someone has decided to turn the tables against Mullo, it means we’ve owned ourselves a new ally.”

“You’re forgetting something, Kate.” The master rests her big palms on Kate’s hips and pulls so that the girl is straddling her lap instead. “If your theory is right, and I’m not saying it is, but if it is then I’d like to point out that whoever the real mastermind behind the attack isn’t an ally; they attacked  _ us _ .”

That is true; Kate links her arms around her master’s neck and sighs. “Let’s suppose that we’re the target; it’s fine as long as Mullo and the new threat fight each other. All we need to do is remain vigilant and guard our territories.”

“What if they decided to form an alliance?”

“About that…” Kate loves how those large hands are feeling up her sides and petting gently around the injury. “There’s something I need to tell you.

“Go ahead.”

“Just promise me you won’t jump to conclusions, and that you’d listen.”

As their eyes roam inside each other’s, the master decides to smile so out of the blue, causing Kate a little heart attack.

“I promise.”

“When I met Lin, which I still insist was coincidental; she told me some disturbing facts.” Kate takes a deep breath in, before slowly exhaling. “Although Mullo lost most of his powers as a Mage, he was still able to compensate the loss by using a magical black tourmaline, a crystal older than our Imugi, and thus far more powerful.”

“Do I have your permission to ask?” After Kate gives the nod, the master asks. “What exactly is a Mage?”

“Usually, mages are just learned people who know magical spells. However, people like Mullo and I are different.” After going for years not telling anyone about this, Kate finds that she wants to reveal her true identity to Sir Integra. She used to be scared if the secret was ever exposed, but not anymore. “A very long time ago, dragons roamed the earth. They were used in battles and such, until one day, an aspiring sorcerer helped his daughter’s dragon friend live by doing something completely unheard of. He transformed his and the dragon’s powers into the girl’s body, using her as a vessel.”

Sir Integra is adorable listening with bare, childish attention.

“Throughout the years, a selective of her descendants was graced with those powers; it’s quite remarkable. And dangerous, too, if you don’t know how to control it.” Kate brings a hand to her sternum, just splaying there. She whispers, her eyes smiling. “I’ve got her right here. She’s got quite the temper, but she’s really powerful. She’s my Imugi –my dragon.”

As though in disbelief, the master beholds Kate’s chest with a new gleam in her eyes.

“Kate, this is…”

“Unbelievable, right?” Kate finishes for her. “The magic that I’ve been using so far was the sorcerer’s, and you guys are yet to meet with Gertrude.”

“How come you never used her powers?”

Lowering her gaze, Kate fumbles with the lapels of her master’s coat. “After what happened in the woods, I realized how deadly her powers are so I reactivated the seal. Here” –she starts rolling up her sleeve to show the spiral mark on her forearm– “This works as a key to keep Gertrude’s powers locked in.”

The master holds Kate’s wrist and elbow in her hands, and examines the mark with a look of wonder. “I’ve always wondered how these marks were caused. I never asked because I didn’t wish to embarrass you.” Kate strokes Sir Integra’s cheek and the master looks up. “I remember, when I asked you to take off your clothes for the first time” –Kate cheeks heat up immediately at the memory– “I saw this and it made me wonder. It’s almost miraculous how this could be hiding that much power!”

“I know.”

“It never even crossed my mind.” The master is still holding Kate’s arm in her hands like it’s a rare gem to be cherished. “Alucard said something about you having magic, but I don’t think he ever mentioned this. I mean I’d remember something like this.”

That forces Kate to chuckle. “We tend to keep it secret; that’s how our kind survives.” The smiley face morphs into a scowl. “My aim wasn’t to lie to you. I never told you any of this because I needed to protect my kind.”

“Kate, you really think you have to explain that to me, after everything you’ve said?” The master looks up with wide, vibrant eyes. “I sometimes ask myself how you endured me all this time.”

“You aren’t that bad.” Kate jokes, upper teeth biting her lower lip.

Sir Integra’s eyes trip on Kate’s mouth, hers mimicking the same motion. “God, Kate, there’s so much I need to ask and so much I want to know. I can’t believe everything I knew about you was just the tip of an iceberg.”

“Mi lord, I’m flattered.” Kate lists forward to lean her forehead on her master’s. “You can ask me anything, and we’ll have all the time to talk. This is quite liberating, wouldn’t you say?”

“Is it?”

“Of course.” Kate shuts her eyes close. “You couldn’t believe how many times I was on the verge, about to tell you everything, before I’d remind myself that it was just the heat of the moment.”

“What about today?” The master asks. “Was it also just the heat of the moment?”

Kate places her hands on either side of her master’s neck, pulling away just enough for their eyes to meet. “No. This time, I chose to tell you, and I’m happy with my decision.” She sighs. “We couldn’t go on like that with you feeling like I couldn’t be trusted with all my secrets and me hoping that your attitude would change without me giving you a reason to.”

“That still wasn’t a good reason for me to act like an asshole.”

Kate barks a laugh. “That’s true, though!”

“Love,” Sir Integra starts, sending a shiver down the girl’s spine, but the master strokes it out of Kate’s back, leading it towards her ass-cheeks instead.

Without meaning to, Kate finds herself rolling her hips and her breath slowly growing uneven.

“For all the times I caused you pain, or hurt you with my words and actions. For all the times you wanted me there, but I wasn’t, and for all the times I blamed you for everything, I’m sorry.”

The brunette shakes her head, expression contorting as she tries to keep her tears from falling, but she fails immensely. “Integra…”

“I’m so sorry, sweetheart.”

Instead of crying in small, pitiful sobs, Kate howls into her lover’s neck, her fingers digging into the coat and her feet into the matted floor. She howls like a wretched animal, that’s finally been freed.

“Integra!” She cries, painful tremors wracking her petite body. “Integra!”

Sir Integra Hellsing remains wordless, deciding her apology alone was everything that needed to be said after months of lamenting silence and fearing the unknown from both of them.

Today, both the magic user and the Hellsing master can trust again…


	19. Austria's Wraith - Part 1

**October 24 th** **, 2015**

_St. Georgen, Austria–_ Sungjae waltzes out into the veranda in a white bathrobe, and ignores the way coffee sloshes in his stomach merely because his radars have detected werewolf movement outside the front door. With a fond smile, he slips outside and approaches Heung Su, who is standing bare and talking into his phone, the ends of his hair still damp from the shower he said he was taking. He is resting a hand on his hip and baring his sack for the world to see, which Sungjae assumes nobody is going to appreciate, especially not in this early morning.

Heung Su must have heard him coming, barefooted or not, Sungjae definitely made noise in the kitchen trying to craft up something to eat from what was in the fridge. Enough noise to wake up the dead. But Heung Su doesn’t even turn to acknowledge him, so Sungjae comes up from behind and threads his arms around the man’s waist, and his forehead against his shoulder blades. He listens as Heung Su speaks more in a language that makes him sound like he’s spitting at his phone, and waits.

He strokes Heung Su’s chest, slender fingers ghosting over shuddering, firm skin. He tilts his head a little to kiss at the exposed areas in his face’s reach, and he plays with the man’s nipples, hoping that is enough to have the alpha’s full attention.

Heung Su’s free hand swipes and spanks his mate’s ass slightly from the side as a warning, but it only makes Sungjae more excited, mewling into the skin he’s kissing. He drags his hands downward to the half-hard cock rising like a rod, fisting its shaft and rubbing it, causing Heung Su to groan.

“Sungjae.” He grouses in a whisper. “I’m talking to a client now.”

He ignores him and continues his stimulation. “You said you finished work, or were you lying?”

“This is different.” Heung Su grumbles again. “It’s an important client.”

Just as the words leave his lips, the air starts to smell like sadness and anger, which he is certain aren’t oozing out of him. He hears Sungjae’s mumbled ‘I won’t bug you then’ and his arms retracting from his middle, and the loss of contact hurts. He swivels so fast and holds Sungjae by the arm.

Sungjae can have an entire conversation with just the way he switches between the expressions on his face, and now he looks puzzled. He takes note of how Heung Su quickly finishes the call and places the phone on the handrail, and then returns his full attention to his mate.

“You’re not sneaking away, you rat.” Saying so, he pulls his mate to his chest and presses their lips together.

Sungjae only pulls from the kiss to ask, “Wouldn’t people see us? Let’s take it inside.”

The taller man gives the neighborhood a quick once over before looking at his mate again. “Nobody lives here but me.”

Symmetric brows fly up. “No way!” He marvels. “Are you saying all these houses are empty, and that we’re the only ones living here?”

The other nods with a shrug.

Oh, he is just begging to be taunted then, and Sungjae is happy to oblige. He purrs in a very suggestive way, slowly sliding to his knees in front of Heung Su’s waist. He keeps his alluring almond-like eyes up and draws his parted lips down to the angry-looking cock, nuzzling it with his jaw and lips.

“Been thinking,” he says just as Heung Su rakes his fingers through golden locks. “I want to deep-throat you.”

As much as he fears the reaction, he is more worried his offer would be declined. He doesn’t usually offer, and Heung Su has stopped requesting, but now that he’s gone and done it, he can’t help the swell of worry from festering.

“Are you sure?”

Sungjae takes a moment to breathe, and then he nods with a gleam in his eyes. He is sure –very sure. He just doesn’t know why it took him so long to finally accept it. He’s given head to Heung Su before, but never dared to deep-throat. The idea frightened him, still does, but Heung Su is always making sure he is feeling good; it’d be nice to return the favor once in a while.

He taps the cock a few times on his face, and the gushing precum hits him square on the lips. “You don’t have to hold back,” he tells him. “I can take it.”

**April 20 th** **, 2015**

_Hellsing Headquarters, London–_ The hideout’s padded wall panels feel soft –softer than the wood that makes the headboard of her bed. And so does the floor. Kate is rather appreciative that this formation the room was constructed with keeps her moans from travelling outside.

“Fuck, yes! There, sir, right there!” Kate’s voice keens with a mewling erupting from the depths of her chest and never echoing.

The girl does her best to cling to her sanity for Sir Integra has, at the start of Kate’s evident fatigue, taken the rein. And now, she mercilessly dives in and out of Kate’s insides, soaking everything with acute heat.

“You love riding my cock so much, don’t you?” By the intonation of her voice, Kate knows she’s awakened the master’s wild side after its restful repose. “You like it when I fuck your brains out!”

At the expressed words, Kate’s body trembles and her eyes look down from the bliss she’s found looking down upon her from the ceiling, and into Sir Integra’s eyes. In the pale-beaming lights, Kate discerns the zealous look of hunger in her master’s mismatched pupils, beholding Kate as if she’s the most delicious-looking main dish for tonight.

“You’re so beautiful” –the way the master slaps Kate’s ass and licks at her upper lip somehow adulterates her intentions, but Kate isn’t complaining– “Every part of your body is so adorable.”

“Please, sir,” the way Kate is stirred with the words and teased with the cock has already driven her to the verge. “Make me come, please…”

If anything, the smirk the master lets show looks as though bordering on wickedness. “I can do with you whatever I want, yes?”

“Yes!” Kate isn’t bodily capable enough to bother with flair; her pussy is begging to come. “Just fuck me!”

“I don’t like taking orders from anyone.” Sir Integra’s smirk deepens even more. “Do you think you have a different effect on me?”

Barely lucid, Kate huffs. “Let’s find out, shall we?”

“Kate?”

The last thing the girl remembers is her face tucked under Sir Integra’s jaw and sobbing into it that she was coming. She moans as she lolls her head, finding that she’s nodded off in the same position.

“I fell asleep?”

“Yes.” The master brushes Kate’s fallen strands behind her ear, the look in her eyes fond. “You shouldn’t have stayed up the whole night.”

The best they can do is not talk about it. “What time is it now anyway?” because her nap felt like a coma.

Sir Integra checks her leather-banded wrist watch. “It’s almost 6.”

“I’ve slept for so long!” Kate exclaims. “Why didn’t you wake me up?” –She goes to lift herself up– “Your legs must be feeling numb now.”

A hand keeps her from standing up. “No. Stay.”

And, hesitatingly, she stays.

“I told Walter that I had some personal business to attend to,” she starts, hands still rubbing all over Kate’s sweat-damp back. “That usually keeps him off my back when I need some time alone.”

“So I take it you want to keep this a secret?”

“That would be more preferable,” the master said. “Aside from the two of us, only Zuri knows about this meeting and its purpose.”

“What about Alucard?”

“I’d like to minimize the amount of people who know that you and I are no longer on bad terms.” Sir Integra repositions Kate’s long strands, splaying them behind the girl’s shoulder. “After the attack, they’re expecting us to fall back into old feuds. I’d like them to keep thinking that. At least until we find the source of the breach.”

“We have to do it quickly; Lin also said that Mullo is banding together with different monsters. She said it’s only a matter of time now before he strikes.”

“First things first, we go back upstairs. I don’t want them to start asking questions.” She says while rummaging inside her jacket’s pocket. “And here” –she hands Kate her old phone back and the girl latches at it with a squeak– “Don’t let anyone see that you have it. I’ll text you whenever it’s appropriate to meet again.”

Kate looks up from the phone that was confiscated from her last year, and at her master. “Are you sure, what if Walter discovers it’s missing?”

“Don’t worry yourself about anything; I’ll handle Walter.”

She knows how big of a risk her using this phone again is, and how much Sir Integra is risking here. “I don’t want you to get into trouble because of me.”

“I already have, with the Vatican, and with my own people.” She expected a furious glare; Kate is astounded to find her master sneering. “And I’d do it again.”

Kate can’t help but reveal that shy smile of hers. “You’re ridiculous.”

“There’s something else.” Sir Integra clears her throat. “If it’s an emergency and you wish to call me, do it from your bathroom.” As Kate tilts her head in question, the master scratches hers. “Your room is bugged; not only that, but there are hidden cameras, too.”

The brunette’s mouth falls open. “Since when?”

“Since the first time you got the room.”

Rage shakes Kate to her very core. “And it never occurred to you that I had to know about it?” She’s done some things in that room; things she is even embarrassed to remember. Now, she is being told her privacy wasn’t so private after all. “Who keeps the recordings?”

“It’s alright,” the master said. “I’m the only one who has access to the recordings, but it won’t hurt to be extra careful.”

“What if someone finds them –I think you should remove all the cameras and the bugs, and delete everything.”

“Not gonna happen.” The master shrugs. “I want them for myself.” While Kate narrows her eyes at her Alpha to judge her, all Sir integra does is chuckle. “Come here.” She mutters, now pulling Kate in for a kiss.

How she wishes they’d stay here for more, but Kate knows it’s time to leave this sphere and go back to that crazy town.

“Keep the phone in your reach, you understand?”

The brunette nods, licking at her wet and swollen lips.

“Good.” Sir Integra nods. “Get dressed. We’re going back upstairs.”

**October 25 th** **, 2015**

 _St. Georgen, Austria–_ His morning starts with a startled wakefulness from a nightmare, and, when the hazel-blue orbs embrace the morning light, the last images of that nightmare vanish like a film reel coming to an abrupt end.

Go Sungjae lies there on bed, staring at the ceiling like it’s going to come down on him. He lolls his head to the left, but finding it empty, he sits up with a yawn. A quick glance over his shoulder shows him his phone over the nightstand, he reaches for it, grabs it to check the time and the new texts but that’s when he remembers bits of when Heung Su aroused him to tell him he had an emergency back at work and had to break his promise.

Come to think of it, Sungjae is an idiot. He only agreed because his ass and cock were satisfied, but now that he’s actually awake and not sexed-out, he kind of regrets allowing Heung Su to leave.

Whatever, he’s just going to try to have fun until his lover comes back.

Clean and fresh, warmly dressed and comfortable, Sungjae stands by the window of the bedroom with a cup of hot coffee in his hand, watches the thick clouds racing each other under the sky. And while he finds that relaxing to see, he doesn’t know how to feel about the house across.

Heung Su said that a woman and two of her children were killed by an animal attack in that house…

Sungjae doesn’t understand Heung Su’s choice of location; there’s an entire neighborhood to pick from but he still picks the one the closest to a murder house? He must be weird in the head. Nobody goes out of his way to do something so irresponsible like this, and even include other people in it.

He takes another sip and scrutinizes the upper window of the house –the sudden bony, blood-coated hand that slams on the sill makes him drop his cup and recoil with a gasp. Standing completely stills as millions of thoughts race in his head before finally going blank, he watches, horror-stricken, how a head slowly rises into view –defected by deep cuts and blood– and showing a pair of wide empty eyes. Sungjae is numb to receive that the head, which should be on that thing’s neck, is carried by its other hand.

Cold numbness prevails in taking over Sungjae’s limbs, making him lose sense of anything else but the noise of his erratic breathing in his ears and the burning tears welling up in his eyes… he feels the clutch of fear too strong, and, unlike before where he could always make light of it, he feels numbing fear making him gasp and stand motionless.

The phone rings. Sungjae whips his head to the source but not his eyes; afraid if he did, that thing would seize him. He scurries to the bed backward, but he knows the angle of the nightstand will not allow him to see what is beyond the window so he hastens his steed, hoping that thing would still be there by the time he’s fetched the phone. It isn’t.

He connects the call, and winces at the way his fingers are trembling; a quick glance at the mirror of the vanity table shows him no color on his face or lips.

“Hey, Heung Su.” He whispers, his voice sounding stricken.

“What’s wrong?”

Sungjae’s eyes shut close as he tries to even out his breathing? “No, nothing. I just, I miss you already.”

“Well, that blows.” Heung Su sighs. “I have to leave Austria today.”

The fond look in his eyes quickly hardens. “What do you mean?”

“A corporation in Canada we work with is having some issues with the law, so mother called and asked me to handle it,” He tells him. “I’m sorry it came to this, but I’ll try to get back tomorrow night –”

Sungjae shakes his head. “No, Heung Su.” He grits out. “You promised!”

“I know, and I’m sorry. I promise to come back tomorrow night.”

“I don’t want to hear any of your empty promises, Heung Su.” He bellows. “If me being here is a bother, I should just go back home.”

“I never said that. Sungjae, you know I can’t control these things.”

“What am I supposed to do until then?” Sungjae rakes a hand through his hair. “I’m not staying in this house, Heung Su, not by myself.”

“I told Amanda to take you where you want,” he informs. “She’s a fun lady and she’s going to keep you company until I get back. I already gave her the address; she should be there around eleven.”

“I don’t want you to forget this–” Sungjae’s tone is threatening; he’s already trembling and scared, and Heung Su is not making his day any brighter. “Because I won’t.”

The other whines. “Come on–”

“I mean it.” Sungjae hisses. “I’m giving it until tomorrow night, then I’m going back home.” Without giving Heung Su a chance to comment, he ends the call and throws the phone on the bed.

Sungjae snaps his eyes at the house and the window again, but he finds nothing.

Around eleven, nobody shows up.

Sungjae attempts to call Heung Su again but it doesn’t connect, he assumes the man is on a plane. He goes into the kitchen to prepare something for himself when a sudden, prolonged creaking noise makes him drop everything and grab a knife. He swivels around, wide eyes scanning his surroundings without blinking. His grip on the handle tightens the nearer he gets to the source of the creaking noise, which leads him to the front door, finding it open and left ajar. His heartbeats pound in his ears and his parched tongue cleaves to the roof of his mouth. 

Sungjae finds a trail of blood on the marble floor, like traces of something that’s been dragged. With renewed resolve, he embarks forward, following the dragging marks of blood. He reaches the end of the corridor, finding a shape in the darkened corner, crouched beside a heap of something that is also blood-sputtered.

“W-who are you? What do you want?”

The same hand he saw earlier slams on the ground, long bony fingers convulsing creepily. Sungjae ignores the way his body is becoming cold and numb again, and keeps on staring as that shape crawls towards him; damaged, soaked strands of long hair, and dark, empty eyes and a head carried by a hand…

She keeps her eyes on Sungjae’s, before the hand turns the head so her eyes could look at what’s next to her. She drags it with her other hand, bringing it to the light. Sungjae, devoid of feelings except for deadening fear, takes in the heap of decapitated arms and legs, somehow still attached together. They move, causing Sungjae to drop the knife and go completely silent, they crawl towards him but never get too close, before finally melting and leaving nothing but a burbling heap of blood in their wake.

The other moves, bringing Sungjae to sharp attention again, her hand lifts her head up, upper each second until she’s looming over Sungjae, whose trembling lips become blue, and then she wails; a horrifying, sad and deep cry…

Sungjae brings his hands up to his head, the action lethargic like he can’t move on command, and he pulls at his hair. If it’s another nightmare, he wants to wake up already, and he wants to go back to the time when the worst of his worries was not finding salt during dinner preparations. The poignant cry of this thing makes him want to run out of the house screaming and never looking back.

He quickly teleports himself to the bedroom and sheds a power field around him, like a spherical barrier. Reaching for the phone again, he taps Heung Su’s number and waits for the call to connect, but it doesn’t. He types a quick text, telling him that something strange is happening and that he should come back –the knob of the door turns, ominous noises coming from beyond the door. Sungjae empowers the barrier for better chances of protection, and calls his friend in Korea.

“Lu!” His voice is harsh. “You have to listen to me.” And after a curt pause. “No, no, I’m not. There’s something –”

The disheartening beep shutters his hopes, and Sungjae eyes his phone screen, showing him no signal bars. He tries again and again, but his attempts all end up with failure.

The knob gets turned vigorously, and that all but raises Sungjae’s fears more and more. The only way to escape that thing is if he zaps himself away, but he can’t exactly do that knowing Heung Su might come back here. Flopping on his rear, he drops his head in his hands and rocks back and forth.

He also can’t use the portal because that might hinder Heung Su’s business crisis, and although Sungjae thinks that’s a good bargain if the two of them end up safe, he knows Mrs. Park, his mate’s mother, would not let him live the relief. He doesn’t know what to do; that thing outside is adamant on barging in.

Sungjae perks up. Right, there’s a home phone with a direct line to Heung Su’s office which the man said to use in case he needed him. Sungjae holds off the effect of the barrier for a moment and zaps himself to the living room downstairs, seizes the phone and pokes the green button which connects him to another phone.

“Hi!” He gushes after the ringing stops. “Is Heung Su there?”

The lady answers in a foreign language; here’s where Sungjae’s broken English shines.

“I’m Go Sungjae.” He enunciates. “Where is Park Heung Su?”

“Oh,” the other coos. “Mr. Go! I’m sorry to inform you that Mr. Park has already left Austria. Do you need me to direct your call to his phone?”

That was excellent Korean, and if Sungjae wasn’t being haunted, he’d have chatted. “I don’t have time to wait, tell him to go straight to Korea when his work is done. Tell him not to come here, and that I forbid him.”

The woman chuckles after an awkward pause. “Alright,” she said. “Any other messages you would like to leave?”

“Yeah, tell him I’m going back home.”

Placing the phone down, Sungjae’s defeated form reels around, but he’s overcome by the horrifying clench of fear again as he sees those black eyes right before him, boring into his. A sudden movement in his right shows him another pair of dark eyes approaching him from the window.

Suddenly, he feels a tight grip on his neck, benumbing him to the cores. His quivering eyes flick up to her, finding a cloud of darkness following her and wanting to consume him for being in its path. He recoils despite his body shaking like an addict, and zaps himself somewhere else…

**April 21** **st** **, 2015**

 _Hellsing’s Headquarters, London–_ Just as planned, Kate and Sir Integra kept their distance from each other; the girl even going as far as not showing up at the dinner table the night before.

Around noon, Kate makes her way to the library again for she already received a text message early this morning. She opens the secret passage to the hideout and walks in.

There’s insipid illumination coming out of the soundproof room, whose door has been left ajar, so she walks in, finding her master standing inside.

“Hey,” Kate greets, closing the door behind her.

“You’re here.” The master takes her hands out of her pockets.

“This is really stressing me out.” The brunette ruffles her hair. “I didn’t like not having dinner with you guys. It felt so lonely.”

“I know; this is just until we catch the spy.” The master’s solemn look lingers as it starts testing Kate’s patience. “We don’t have much time. Anything?”

The shorter girl twists her lips, chewing the inside of her cheek. “I’m not sure; I’ve got a couple of theories, but no evidence.”

“On Zuri’s birthday, only the six of us knew the destination we were heading to, so how did whoever attacked us know the exact location?”

Nibbling on her bottom lip now, Kate says, “In the morning of the 19th of this month, Mrs. Marcy was wondering where the lot of you had gone to, and I told her.” Kate shrugs. “I simply didn’t know we were supposed to keep it a secret.”

“She’s worked for my family before I was even born yet,” The master defends. “I don’t even think she knows about the things we hunt, let alone craft up a plan like that.”

Kate’s tongue rolls behind her cheek, her eyes shifting.

“What, you seem like you know something.” The other looks serious. “If there’s something you want to tell me, now is the time.”

That’s the problem; Kate doesn’t think it wise to tell her master that, perhaps, Walter is involved.

As a response, Kate looks away and is grateful the master doesn’t stop her. She needs a minute. And she needs more space if she’s going to delve into this despite her fears.

Kate starts pacing, her thoughts moving faster than her legs. “I don’t want to be the pot-stirrer in this whole mess, but I’ve conducted my own investigation about this. I’m just not certain it’s wise for me to talk about things when I can’t even prove them.”

“What do you know?”

Taking her master’s resolute eyes, Kate concludes that this isn’t going to hurt. “On your birthday” –immediately, Sir Integra’s expression becomes grim and Kate almost forgoes her attempt at explaining what’s going on– “Back in that clearing, Walter was close enough to hear what happened. He was very close that he’d have stopped the attack if he used his monomolecular wires, but he only showed up after you took the bite and Mullo and his minions were gone.”

“How does he pertain to this, exactly?” she dares. “What are you trying to say?”

Kate knows that her master knows what Kate’s angling at; perhaps, only the fact that he raised her is what’s stopping her from considering this.

“Back in Älvdalen, just before Angus and I were kidnapped, it was Walter who kept asking all types of questions about what my blood is capable of.” Kate walks up to her master. “Right after the kidnapping, the Vedmak used my blood to level up his pal, Mr. Forsberg!”

“Enough!” Luckily, her growl doesn’t resonate.

“Sir, just think about it. Every time I acted up and you were on the verge of kicking me out, who do you think stood up for me?”

“That’s the point, Kate.” The master grits out. “Walter helped you, how can you stab him in the back like this?”

She doesn’t find this entertaining; Kate hates herself for saying this. But it must be said. “Integra, if safety is his job, then why did he do his best to keep me from getting fired? He wanted me here!”

“Look.” The master blows a patient sigh. “I appreciate your effort, I do, but Walter is my most trusted employee; if you’ve got no evidence, then I can’t listen to you. Look for another target.”

On the tip of her stomach, Kate feels a weight settling in, making it hard to breathe. She nods, because she knows raving on about this is only going to prompt the master away from their talk; she needs the opposite to happen.

“Fine then,” Kate said. “I’ll keep digging.”

“You do that, and report back to me whenever you find something.” This time, Sir Integra glares at Kate on cue. “And bring me evidence.”

In response, Kate arches her brows, action fleeting, like she half expects the condition not to be seriously counted on.

“How’s your wound, is it healing?”

The same thing happens, upon hearing the word Kate can’t stop her arm from winding around her middle, the hand settling on the injury. “I’m getting there,” she informs. “Lin’s potions seem to be working.”

“That’s good,” the other said. “I’m expected shortly at the reception desk. Is there anything else you wish to tell me?”

“No.” Kate puckers her lips. “Just, be careful, alright?”

**October 26 th** **, 2015**

_Yocheon, South Korea–_ “It didn’t feel like a spirit, either.” Sungjae elaborates on a remark that’s been made by their druid-doctor friend just now, handing the salad to his best friend, Lu, after the other requested. “Which still doesn’t make any sense, because she should be dead.”

Apparently, the thing Sungjae saw wasn’t some ghost. According to Heung Su, the so called animal attack was actually a mysterious murder.

Many years ago, a mother lived in that house with her two children and her husband – a farmer, and they lived off the things he planted in his field. The husband, then, went to the city to sell and exchange goods while the wife stayed with her kids, unaware that she was being stalked. One day, the husband came back around a red dusk, he found his two children slaughtered –amputated from limb to limb, while the beheaded mother’s body lay there in her blood. Unable to cope with the shock and the grotesque loss, the husband hang himself.

After that, every project that was meant to demolish that house either failed or just never got around to finish. The company where one of Heung Su’s friends works didn’t demolish the house, but it built other houses around it. The project, however, failed. Heung Su bought the house closest to the murder house for two reasons; he wanted to figure out why people weren’t buying or just selling right after buying (beside the obvious), and because he liked the quiet in there.

“In any case, that thing should be killed,” Heung Su says before dumping another Topokki in his mouth. “I’m going to demolish that house and take over the project.”

The rest, especially his sister, Ian, sends baleful glares his way.

“You’re willing to spend money on a losing game?” She wonders aloud, facing him from the other end of the table. “That's risky gambling, little brother.”

“Wait until we get rid of that thing first,” Lu tells him, now picking more meat and placing it in front of the brunette beta in Heung Su’s pack since she’s sitting next to him. “What if it doesn’t go away even after you demolish the house?”

“I hate to say it, but he’s right.” Another beta drawls from her seat opposite Sungjae’s.

Heung Su puts down his knife and fork, and the clanking of metal makes Sungjae look up from his plate. “How do I kill it when I don’t know what it is?”

“What happened to their corpses?” The druid prompts, sipping wine from his glass.

“They were burned.” The pack’s mascot, Tami, tells her around a mouthful of lettuce which makes him look like a farm animal. “Soon after Heung Su purchased the house, I was asked to investigate the area and the authenticity of the rumors. I learned that all corpses have been cremated, no remains.”

“That really leaves us with nothing to work with.” Lu lets out a sigh, now facing the druid. “Ever stumbled upon something like this?”

After taking a moment, he responds “You tried to burn down the house?”

“Twice,” Heung Su replies. “Not on purpose.”

“That’s very odd.” The druid hums to himself. “I’ve ran out of ideas, really.”

Just as they fall silent, Sungjae doing his best to avoid talking about what he saw so he wouldn’t end up hyperventilating again, Tami rumbles with a gruff ‘it can’t be helped then’.

Several heads lift up and eyes land on his yellow, groggy ones.

“You don’t mean…” Heung Su holds off all motions, sharing a pensive look with Tami who nods. Heung Su only props his elbows on the table –something he hates doing which bespeaks his current mood– and sighs dejectedly.

“What, what’s going on?” Sungjae’s voice goes up into a curious shriek.

“Do we really have to; you know we’re going to owe her after this.” Ina is also talking with a whine.

The pack then finally immerses in conversing; so far, it’s been only the grown-ups, but since the topic steered to whatever the three are talking about, even the pack is getting curious.

“Heung Su,” Sungjae finally has enough of their secretive, cryptic talk. “Mind explaining what this is all about?”

Failing to rein his next sigh, Heung Su leans back on the backrest with slouched shoulders. “I really don’t want to resort to them, but since even you can’t take down that thing, I guess there’s no other way.” Saying so, he looks away from his mate and at his sister.

As the pack clears the table from the dishes and whatnot, the grown-ups move on to the sofas in the room; Heung Su takes the chesterfield, while the rest scatter on the other sofas. Ina takes the armchair beside the window, and Lu and Tami take the couch against the wall while Sungjae and the druid remain standing one next to the fireplace and the other by the chesterfield.

Eying the pack with a mischievous delight, Ina hums from her perch. “Who needs maidservants when you have a pack at your beck and call” –she cuts off her own sentence to yell– “Ji Hun, sweetie; bring me some wine when you finish doing the dishes.”

Sungjae smiles to himself because he can practically hear the guy’s eye roll from the kitchen.

Heung Su crosses a leg over the other and braces his elbow on the armrest, leaning on his knuckles. “Go fetch it yourself,” he tells her. “Stop bothering my pack.”

Sungjae, standing right next to Heung Su, brings his hand to his mate’s head and ruffles those soft hair locks the way he always does after the two have stayed up making love passionately. “She is right, though,” he tells him. “We need wine.”

Just as the words leave his mouth, one of the female betas walks in with a tray lined with wine-filled glass cups. She hands it to everyone before scurrying out; letting Sungjae guess the bunch are most likely staying in the other living-room to eavesdrop.

“Alright.” Ina blows out a loud exhale. “If nobody is going to address the elephant in the room, I will,” She starts, now placing the glass beside her foot. “Do we have to summon them?”

“Speaking of which,” Sungjae prompts up. “Who’s them?”

“Another pack,” Heung Su provides, and doesn’t react when Tami finishes for him with ‘a very powerful one, too.’ And it’s coming from Tami, someone who isn’t to be taken lightly. Sungjae’s curiosity hits the roof and he just can’t wait to hear the rest of it. “Just like we settled in Korea, they settled in England. Their history starts with a founding legend, too. They’re basically a lot like our clan, except for a few things.”

Ina then lifts her glass –she needs that drink if she’s going to go through this talk. “They have a slave witch.”

Sungjae almost gets knocked off his feet. “A what?”

“A slave witch.” She enunciates the reiteration with a muted groan. “It’s said that it’s a very powerful witch, and it’s the source of their prosperity. They’re currently one of the richest organizations in the world. They insinuated themselves in economics, military intelligence and politics. There’s no limit to their power.”

“And why is that such a bad thing?”

“Because” –Heung Su drawls– “they are… different.”

“Their Alpha is.” Tami, again, elaborates.

“Different, how…?” Sungjae demands.

The siblings look away from him and at each other before Ina decides to say anything.

“There was an accident, in the past, which caused the head of the organization to turn,” She says, and Sungjae is quickly reminded of his vision. “The witch was in disguise at first, this and that, and the disguise was finally revealed, ending in the Alpha getting cursed."

Ignoring the fact that the alpha of the most ‘powerful’ pack in England owns a slave witch, Sungjae focuses on his pack first. “Yeah, but that still doesn’t answer my question.” He is fighting against going up to Ina to shake the answer out of her. “How is the Alpha different from you?”

“You’ll see when they’re here,” Heung Su says in a tone of finality, now standing up to full height.

Ina rises up as well. “You’re calling them?”

Heung Su’s hand goes to the handprint that thing left on his mate’s neck, and he almost looks hurt scrutinizing it. “That thing is onto you, and I’m not going to sit still and watch. That witch can help, so, yes” –he reels around to face his sister– “I’m calling them.”


	20. Bleak

A sheet of condensation is covering the balcony’s glass door in her bedroom, where Kate has stood for hours, gazing out on the misty trees that look like they’ve been submerged in smoke.

Knowing that there are eyes and ears that have been planted into this room changes things; Kate used to get dressed outside the bathroom, now, however, she changes inside.

The master saw everything, ever since Kate started occupying this room, she’s seen more of Kate’s shameless side, reclining on that bed and touching herself, and calling out to her master.

She’s heard Katrina and Angus, both talking to Kate about the master.

She’s seen her _wolf_ , cherishing Kate and mating with her…

It is wondrous how Kate isn’t jumping off this balcony!

What disturbs this quietude that’s only spluttered with sheer embarrassment is a rumble that reverberates across the entire manor, causing the doors to quiver inside their frames. Kate perks up with a fright; that didn’t sound like thunder, more like a roar. Not her master’s; it isn’t May yet and, to further prove her theory, Kate didn’t feel pain at the side of her neck where the marks still remain.

She yanks the balcony’s glass door open, pushes forward into the icy cold, and she stands there with her hands on the handrail, just peering through the fog that has managed to envelop her along with the manor.

A cry resounds, like a Viking’s call for war, followed by a hail of bullets, and then deafening silence…

Unable to hide her worry anymore, Kate decides to show up at the front lawn, because that’s where the noise came from, and inspect what’s happened.

As she descends the winding stairs, feeling as though slipping through a spiral, shoe soles louder than hers rush after her. She looks over her shoulder, finding Zuri also climbing down the stairs.

“What happened?”

Kate shakes her head. “I heard gunshots. I’m worried that something’s managed to pass through the gates!”

Zuri glowers at the front door. “We’re about to find out.”

The two of them dash toward the opened front door, and, upon exiting, more mist surrounds them as they perch themselves on the doorstep, eying their hazy surroundings.

At first, there’s this comfort of peaceful calm that extends for a while that Kate starts thinking nothing really happened, but it takes a dangerous turn when a man dressed in military wears comes flying their way as though he’s been tossed, landing by their feet in an odd position where all his limbs seem to be jutting out of their joints.

“Oh, God!” Kate rushes to assess the man covered in blood, finding that he has no pulse. “He’s dead!”

“Stay here,” Zuri says with urgency. “Wait for backup, you understand?”

Kate knows what the beta is planning so she quickly clasps her wrist. “You’re not going anywhere until we know what we’re dealing with!”

“Kate, I’m a beta werewolf. I’m not going to just sit here; I have to scout our borders to report to my Alpha.” She notices Kate’s small hands clasping tighter which leads her to smile. “I’ll be careful, don’t worry.”

Since she’s physically more fit, Zuri manages to wrench her arm from Kate’s hold and sprint into the fog, leaving Kate calling out after her. Another roar reverberates, followed by a chorus of gunshots before Kate decides to venture into the fog as well.

This cloud of fog is thicker than the steam her long showers create inside her bathroom. The smell is stale and fumy. And the silence is eerie as Kate trudges without a direction as if lost in a sea, only fear tenanting her mind. She spots gleaming crimson eyes just a couple of meters away, appearing to be standing a few feet off the ground, which, Kate thinks, seem to belong to some large beast. They glare at her with vengeance, and she stares back motionless.

They don’t linger, however, choosing to withdraw and leave the platform for another one, and Kate watches another pair of yellow, groggy eyes look at her with intermittent audible snarls that remind Kate of her friend’s black Schipperke; that dog always had a temper.

Desperate, Kate mutters a spell which she concluded won’t take a lot out of her, hoping to dispel the fog and thus the creatures lurking around it. Nothing really happens. Her desperation grows, and her attempts at casting spells become more forceful.

One spell after another, all refusing to do what Kate intended for them to do.

The creature with the golden eyes moves towards her, having waited for the attack which never came to pass, and causing Kate to yelp. She wants to call for help, but, at the same time, she knows it is her fault for coming here unescorted despite knowing her magic is still impaired.

She retreats, not even sure if the manor is behind where she left it, or if she is only wandering deeper into the fog; while the creature advances closer, its snarls morphing into deep growls that send shivers down Kate’s spine.

Hastily, Kate’s feet scuffle across the ground, taking her away from the proceeding creature, but not fast enough as the beast jumps, tearing through the haze and widening its jaws to reveal canine teeth, greatly enlarged, and Kate goes stock-still, only staring on in horror how the wolf-like entity dives towards her. The impact doesn’t happen as someone’s claws rip through the beast’s neck, tearing its head clean off.

Amidst the dreadful ordeal, Kate has put her hands before her face to protect herself, but when the beast falls to her feet, beheaded, she looks through the gaps between her arms and finds Sir Integra towering over her prey with eyes redder than the last Micromoon.

Kate worries that the master has lost her sense, but she is in for a big surprise.

“Were you hoping to take a photograph with it?” The master seethes, that beast’s blood dripping from her claws like a Greek God’s ichor. “What were you doing, just standing there?”

At last, the brunette realizes that she’s being chastised. “I had him!”

“What you had was a case of cold feet.” Sir Integra shakes her head like she’s too done with Kate’s vain obstinacy, now making her way to the girl. “I thought you were told to remain put?”

“How can I when we’re being attacked?” She retorts, and looks side to side to see if any pack members are close by, Kate says, “Zuri, she went into the fog. I don’t know if she’s safe.”

“She is. I can hear her heartbeats,” The master provides. “Seras and Ian are heading north. I told Walter to keep watch over the manor’s entrance, while Alucard and I allotted the task of protecting the borders of my territories.”

“You said Ian was in a critical condition…” She trails off.

“I said he was _–was_ being the operative word, since he has healing abilities.”

Seriously, that was wordplay?

“You’re unbelievable; making me feel bad about the –” another rumble echoes that Kate feels its vibration under her soles, and a monstrous roar echoes. Then she looks up at her master with fearful eyes. “What is happening?”

The crimson eyes from before return, their owner slowly coming into view; massive and hairy, the ballistic Hound reappears.

“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me,” The master comments.

As she jerks her hands to make the claws sprout out to full length, silver fur and red eyes flash amidst the fog, and then the lycanthrope from before continues its attack from last week. And the two monsters growl at each other, before they attack.

Without wasting any more time, Sir Integra winds her clean arm around Kate and leaps upward, perhaps towards the trees, and the girl tightens her hold on her master.

“Does this mean that both Lin and Mullo are here?”

Sir Integra shakes her head, now settling over one of the manor’s many dormers. “I’m not sure” –her hand presses Kate closer to her side, and a shifty wind ruffles her hair– “But what I do know is that we need backup here.”

As they stare down at the mist-covered ground, they notice that the fog is slowly dispersing, and, underneath, they see throngs of entities hanging about: werewolves, ghouls and trolls, vampires, and Samodivas, and more; some attacking, killing or eating the soldiers while others looking sideways and wondering why the fog is waning.

“Good heavens!” The master exclaims. “Where did all these creatures come from?”

Just a little close to the causewayed ground, Kate finds Alina casting spells to repel her attackers, and she concludes that the Strega is the reason why the fog is dissipating.

“Baby?” Kate calls out her master, “it seems that someone is listening in on your prayers.”

“It seems so.” Sir Integra is also ogling the scene, somehow reminding them of paintings of battle, chaotic and bloody. “I should call for my pack, have them fight here.”

“No.” Kate snaps her eyes at her mate’s. “They must protect the places you appointed them to. If these guys are here, it means they’re surrounding us. The pack must remain on standby in case Mullo and his gang decide to penetrate this territory from different spots.”

“Alright,” the master acquiesces. “But you can’t stay here; Walter is guarding the manor’s entrance, so you’ll be safe inside.”

“You can’t ask me to hide?”

“I’m not asking,” Sir Integra drawls. “My hands will be busy here, and I can’t keep worrying about you. Seras’ familiar will keep you safe.”

Kate goes to argue, but the master is already leaping down that great height, causing Kate to clamp up and hug her Alpha tighter.

On the ground, they find Walter waiting, his hands at his sides.

“Oh, you’re here” –the master looks over her shoulder– “which means the front door is just over there. Good.”

“Don’t.” Kate clasps her palm on her master’s mouth to keep her from saying what she felt the master would. “I don’t even know why you think I can do it.”

Sir Integra wrenches her head heftily, managing to get Kate’s palm off her mouth. “You’re going to do it whether you like it or not. If you stay here, you’re only going to be in the way.” Slowly, she places Kate down. “Your magic isn’t returning, and I can’t risk it. Walter and Pip will protect you for now.”

One blow after the other, and that’s how Kate realizes that the master is right. Her chin meets her neck, refusing to face Sir Integra’s determined eyes.

“Darling,” Sir Integra starts, “I need you to be safe.”

“Wh–” Kate looks up, “What if something happens? You don’t know Mullo, he’s so cunning!”

“Whatever happens, happens.” It’s the way she smiles that forces the tears out of Kate’s eyes. “You can figure out your magic inside the manor, but under no circumstances are you to get out before.”

Despite her doubts, Kate nods.

“Good.” The Alpha faces Walter now. “I’m counting on you.”

“Of course, Sir.” he bows, and then takes Kate’s elbow in his hand to half-drag her towards the porch, as if taking her to the gallows where she’ll meet her end. While the girl’s eyes implore her master’s, begging her to reconsider despite knowing it won’t happen.

Her supplication is never answered as the distance between them only grows…

*******

The mahogany door closes with a soft thud, and then dimness and silence replace the gun flares and the thunderous racket.

Walter is carrying himself gracefully as always, smooth and curt, and he just stands there between Kate and the front door, his wrists wrapped behind his back.

Before she leaves here, she must find a way to make her magic work again; such a shame there isn’t a place that dabbles in the functions of magic like a locksmith.

“Walter, you don’t have to stay here.” Kate rubs her palms on her face. “Go out there and help the others. I won’t go out, I promise.”

With an unnerving smile plastered on, Walter says, “Please start walking.”

The girl peeks up at him with wide eyes. “Huh?”

“I don’t like to repeat myself,” Walter says, “turn around, and start walking.”

“I’m not going to go outside,” Kate defends, “You can trust me on that.”

The smile drops from the butler’s swarthy complexion as he spreads his arms, shiny threads gleam between his fingers. “Now, now,” he starts, ignoring the dumbfounded look in Kate’s eyes. “That spasmodic heedlessness of yours will surely be your doom one day, Miss Kate. I only asked you to walk farther inside, but you seem incapable of following orders; you always have been, and I wonder why.”

Kate gulps. “Well, if someone’s brandishing sharp monomolecular wires that can cut me in a half, of course I’m going to have a problem following orders.”

“And the witty remarks never end.” Walter sighs. “Seriously, do you ever tire of that?”

“Look,” the brunette realizes that egging the butler on is unwise, “Just tell me what you want, and we can sort it out?”

“I’ve already made it clear what I want, for you to start walking.”

If nobody is barging in, it means none of the pack members is in their earshot enough to discern Walter’s odd behavior. Consequently, Kate’s life now depends on her compliance.

They climb the flight, taking the right side of the bifurcated stairs, and making their way to the corridor. The carpet beneath their feet muffles the click of their shoe heels, and the painted eyes in the portraits along the hallway walls seem to be following them.

“Where is Katrina?” Kate asks, not daring to look back at the man trailing her. “What about the others?”

“In the sublevels.”

Kate breathes a small sigh of relief. “Why are you doing this?”

“Doing what?”

He’s taking the route of ‘pretend I’m innocent’, and, although it infuriates Kate, she tolerates him and says instead, “You’re Integra’s most trusted. You’re like a father to her, so I don’t understand why you’re doing this.”

“I’m Integra’s most trusted,” he echoes, “I’m like a father to her?”

For a beat, she imagines the man considering the points she made, but this inkling in the back of her head is nagging her to reinterpret that impression.

“I’ve served The Hellsings for three generations, my father before me. I’ve raised Sir Integra and taught her everything she knows. I am the pillar that keeps this headquarter standing.” They stop when they reach the core junction of other hallways, and Walter never gives an instruction where to go next. “But I’ve always wondered” –he leans forward since he’s behind and closer to Kate’s ear– “Is that all I’m meant to be?”

Kate hasn’t got the gall –the unmitigated gall to actually cut off the butler’s rumbling because one, he rarely ever speaks, and two, she feels like he’s building for a bigger reveal.

“Then as I wondered more, the truth started to become clear to me,” He says, “As someone who served in this manor for that long, someone who actually knows about it more than its owner, don’t I have the right to it?”

“You mean own it?” Kate scoffs, now spinning around to face him as he slowly straightens up. “You want the _house_? Walter, seriously, you’re opting for treason because you want this French style manor with its candelabras and mahogany doors?”

He tsks, like Kate doesn’t get it. “It’s not about the house.”

While Kate waits for him to give the ultimatum, all Walter does is look to his right and sneer. “I thought I told you to wait in the sublevels like everybody else.”

Facing the same direction, Kate finds Tess squirming behind the base of a grandiose head sculpture, which Kate knows is of the founder, Abraham Van Helsing, and she keeps peeking from there like she’s playing hide-and-seek. Eventually, she comes into view with her fingers twisting around each other, wearing the maid dress and the expression of a deer in headlight.

“Tess,” Kate begins, but stops the second Walter takes the first step towards the woman. If he’s adamant on going on with his betrayal, then he might not forgive this disruption, and that only means that the woman is in grave danger.

The man swipes his hand, and the shiny threads swing about, hitting the marble sculpture and shattering it into pieces. The lady standing next to it jumps rearward to escape the graze of the sharp edges, and that alone gives Kate the valor to act, so she leaps at the butler, winding her slender arms around the man to keep him from moving his hands again.

“Go, now!” Kate bellows, struggling to keep Walter caged between her arms. “Run!”

The lady is dithering between running away and staying to help Kate, which the girl finds irritating because she already made it easy for the woman by choosing for her.

Apparently, Tess doesn’t appreciate the outlet Kate created for her and she chooses to linger, standing there and looking on to them, expression empty.

“Impressive”

Kate’s arms gradually unwind from Walter’s, and her eyes look up at the maid who is now proceeding towards them with firm and confident steps.

“I actually expected you to run and leave me,” Tess hums, “Imagine my surprise.”

At that, Walter backs off of Kate and goes to stand beside Tess. He wraps his wrists behind his back and regains his graceful posture.

“What is the meaning of this?” Kate demands, but there isn’t a hint of ire in her tone, only awe.

Tess blows a sigh and directs a dour stare at Kate. “What does it look like to you?” She dares, but when Kate keeps silent, the woman adds, as a counterpoint. “You really thought we’d leave you be after what you did to Celina?”

Oh, come on!

Just how many people did that woman bang for people to be queuing up to avenge her?

As Kate listens, Tess tacks on with a little emotion in her throat. “She was a lady with a vision. She always protected me and provided for me. She was my only family, and you took her away from me.”

“She was murdering people.” Kate defends.

Tess bellows. “They deserved it!” Stillness follows her rumble, before she shakes her head to calm herself, and says, “They hunted us and never left us in peace. My sister tried to keep us safe, but your people were always there, making life harder on us!”

“Your sister” –Kate grits out– “was killing people left and right. I don’t care if she was feeding you, but there are plenty of ways to do that, why feed on innocent people? You want to know why, because you are monsters, and the only thing that sates a monster’s hunger is blood.” As the onslaught goes on, Kate can almost sense Tess’ anger turning the air dense, but she feels no compunction whatsoever; they’ve dared to take things this far so Kate won’t relent. “You’re talking to me about family and all, but your sister was a murderer, and she deserved to die, too.”

“You fucking bitch,” Tess marvels, “and here I thought you and I could get past our grudges.”

Cocking her head, Kate muses. “Why?”

“Because” –Tess licks her lips swiftly– “You’re an abomination, just like us. And with the Whitby attack, they’ve got a reason to hate you more now.”

“Let me guess,” Kate says, “you’re the one behind that attack?”

Tess releases a long-suffering sigh, now approaching Kate with her hands behind her back, her feet prodding their way between the marble shards. “Before we’d start our plan, I left Celine in Mullo’s care because I wanted to study this manor and its residents, but my sister couldn’t send me by myself so she followed me. But you found her and killed her.”

Her small hands ball into small fists as she stares on at Tess, who has finally reached her, and, now, she leans closer.

“Mullo started this off by wanting to murder you, but, ever since he discovered the emergence of the new Mage, he’s lost sight of our mission.”

“A new Mage?”

“Oh, did you not know?” Tess sneers, cold and cynical. “There’s this new young Mage somewhere in East Asia, a bloomer, and Mullo’s been quite busy plotting to get his hands on their powers.”

That probably explains the lack of Mullo’s attacks recently; it’s good that he’s got a new project to keep busy with.

“So that’s why you decided to attack in Whitby?” Kate confirms. “That’s why you’ve attacked tonight?”

The two of them stare at each other for Tess is refusing to answer the obvious. She only says, “From now on, I should keep it secular.”

Kate scoffs, and, although she didn’t mean to, but she scoffs derisively.

“You see, Kate, I know your type, girls like you start to think themselves important after getting a whiff of recognition,” she says, “I’d hate to break your heart but you’re nothing but a weapon, and a useless one at that.”

Wow, it didn’t even take that long to repute Kate’s magic and its innervation. 

“Blah blah,” Kate tries to come across as collected and calm, but there is truth enough in those words to make her angry. “I just want to know one thing, how did Walter fall for your tricks? You don’t even have tact,” and Walter is a courteous man, how did this ill-spoken person manage to sweet-talk him into betraying an organization older than all of their ages combined!

“Oh, him?” Tess eyes up the man standing next to her. “He isn’t even aware of what’s going on around him. All it took was a mirror and a simple mind-control spell, and he was easily handled.” She looks back at Kate. “I have to say, he’s quite useful.”

“How long has this been going, exactly?”

“Well, long before you arrived at the manor.”

That ought to infuriate her; besides, there are tons of other reasons that justify it, but Kate feels delight. She is angry with herself for not realizing that Tess was the mastermind behind everything, even though she’s always known that, on the day of Sir Integra’s birthday, Katrina borrowed a pair of shoes from Tess so the woman has always been involved. She is angry with herself for not discovering that Walter’s will was captured and he cannot defend himself against Tess’ orders. She is angry, but she feels delighted because, except for Tess, none of them were involved in any sort of treason.

“Cat got your tongue?”

Kate shakes her head, but not as a reply, more as a gesture of disbelief.

The master and the pack are outside fighting the enemy, and, perhaps, that’s what they think they’re doing. They have no idea that their real enemy is right here at the heart of the organization.

First of all, she doesn’t know what type of spell was casted on Walter so that means she can’t free his will. And, secondly, her own magic is still impaired so she can’t really fend for herself as well as Walter, and the other maids, so this leaves her one option.

Inhaling a deep breath, Kate opens her mouth and shouts. “Pip!”

Seras’ familiar is as strong as Walter’s wires, and if he is dragged into a fight, then Seras will sense the danger for sure.

Tess’ eyes go wide with rage, and she pounces on Kate, but shadow matter comes in between, fending Kate and sending Tess rearward from the resultant aftershock of the impact. Kate stares on, finding shadowy spikes pounding from side to side, creating a makeshift barrier between her and the other two. However, the girl spots Walter summoning his monomolecular wires again, and that’s how she remembers that sometimes it takes bending to avoid breaking, so she runs away.

“I won’t let you!” Tess yells after her. “Walter, get rid of this thing and keep anyone from entering!”

This strangely feels like a Deja-vu, with Kate scuttling across the floor and trying for any open door in this long corridor, and Tess scurrying after her, eyes red with anger.

“This is magnificent!” Tess exclaims. “I’ve waited for this for months! Sir Hellsing will finally taste the loss I’ve felt after _you_ killed Celina.”

Since Walter and Seras’ familiar are fighting next to the landing of the branched stairs, Kate can’t get past them, and she can’t exactly throw herself out of the windows. The best thing she can opt for now is hide until one of the pack members picks up on what’s happening here.

She highly doubts it, though.

There are monsters out there, hundreds of them, and, with her incapacitated, only five of them are fighting against those monsters. So it might be a while before someone comes to her and Walter’s rescue.

The idea of using the hideout crosses Kate’s mind, for a little bit, before she overlooks it for the sake of finding a way to free Walter from the spell’s effect.

If the pack members barge in on them and find the butler battling Pip, they might never believe that the work of witchery was involved and that the man is but a victim.

“You can’t hide from me, Kate. It’s over. I won.”

The door to the music room opens; this space is often occupied by Zuri for everyone knows how fond she is of singing, which is why Kate is rather regretful that this might end as her death place.

The Turkish carpet on the floor muffles the clicking of her high-heels, and the crystal in the antique empire chandelier above glimmers despite the dimness. Kate walks in farther without turning on the light, gravitating towards the enormous windows to try and warn her pack.

The woods that belong to Sir Hellsing’s land are encumbered with dark entities, some horned and hairy, some hairless and emaciated, but they all look vicious. Just in the corner, the girl spots the Strega, Alina, fighting off a slithering creature with bizarrely long arms and legs, so awful-looking. The Strega seems to be struggling to overpower her enemy, and the monster looks to be adamant on killing her.

“It’s like a dance,” Tess says behind Kate, causing the girl to jump and swivel to look into the reflection of evil in her eyes. “Don’t their shouts sound like a melody?”

Kate is overcome by fear; she’s by herself with a deranged witch, and the only way she can save herself is if she buys some time for herself.

“All of them wish to see your cold-blooded, evil and tyrant of a master fall.” Tess steps closer now. “For every loved one they lost, they’re going to kill more tonight.”

“When you think about it, there’s no oppressor and oppressed.” Kate decides to just risk it all; if the situation here gets out of hand, she can always jump out of the window. The distance to the ground isn’t that far. “My pack and I, and you and your team of deranged monsters, we weren’t meant to coexist. If we leave you be, the human population will just shrink in a matter of months. You’re at the top of the food chain, do you understand? It’s not about vengeance, it’s about survival.”

“That is not true.”

“Tess, you’re only lying to yourself.” Kate huffs, but this isn’t only to buy time, this is truly what she thinks. “We can never come to an understanding; I want to give you promises that we’d stop hunting you, but it would be nothing but empty lies. Because you will continue eating people and we’d continue feeling obliged to shoot you down like the animal you are.”

All Tess does is grit her teeth and flare her nose.

“Because, really, it’s all about food. It’s _only_ about food.”

In response, Tess lifts up her palmed-out hands and remains quiet, and a part of Kate would like to assume that the witch is surrendering after listening to Kate’s logical rant, but what a surprise she gets when the woman starts reciting an incantation.

“Tess, you don’t want to do this.” Kate persuades. “What’s the fucking point?”

Tess’ impassive eyes tell the female Mage what she feared; it’s time.

Kate sprints towards the grand black piano in order to hide just in time for Tess to attack, one of her heels snaps off its shoe sole and causes her to land a little farther from the piano. And, then, the unforgiving thunder of an explosion erupts before Kate realizes that pieces of wood are flying about.

There’s a loud ringing suddenly in both her ears, like they’re bleeding. She whines under the onslaught of helplessness for her magic has, yet again, failed to protect her. Her glazed eyes trail up, finding that the piano has been wrecked; only the cords left hanging out of its lid like an eviscerated pig on a meat hook. She skids to the back, splinters from the debris piercing her hands and she yelps, but never stops until the wall does it for her.

“You’re going to pay for everything!” Tess is, without a doubt, an emotional mess. “I’ll finish what Mullo couldn’t.”

“No, you won’t.”

Both girls prompt up at the new voice, finding a tall person clothed in a padded-fabric coat that reaches his ankle. He has metal arm armors and a pair of armor boots, everything in black.

“Mullo,” Tess huffs, looking unimpressed. “You’ve finally decided to show your face?”

That’s ironic seeing that the Vedmak is keeping the hood of his coat over his head, so not much of his face is seen.

“Finally decided to take matters into hand?”

Tess twitches her neck, like she’s expected this subject to arise and is readying herself for it. “You had an army to lead, but you chose to venture into your selfish needs instead.” When he doesn’t reply, she squares her shoulders and lifts up her chin in a bare show of superiority. “I was meant to rule this army, Mullo, for all those who swore their alliances to you have come to me now. While you chase after power, I’m here to avenge the deaths of our loved ones, of my sister, _me_!”

For once, they don’t succumb to a quarrel, and, for once, Kate and Mullo actually agree on something as they both keep on staring at Tess, and the latter takes a moment to recollect herself, showing calm demeanor again.

“But, fear not, the celebration of our near victory will not be held without you to witness the glory.”

The window suddenly shatters, and hundreds of shards and shrapnel fly into the room, which prompts the three to scoot away from the harm.

Kate’s own expression lightens up after finding that the one who broke in through the window is her mate. “Sir!”

Tess goes to attack, but the Strega surprises them as she, riding Kannia’s back, also jumps into the room. Kannika is sporting wings bigger than an albatross’ and that causes a little relapse in Kate’s judgement; she always thought the lady was a witch.

The three of them fan out in the room, Alina’s hands are glowing a golden shade, as are Kannika’s, while the master’s are covered in a coating of crimson blood from all the entities she’s killed tonight.

“ _You_.” Sir Integra’s voice rumbles through her fangs.

Kate can see that the master is addressing Mullo, and she can see that Tess has also seen it. What manages to anger her is how Tess, the mastermind behind this atrocity, is the one who uses the situation to alter the reality and pretend to be a victim.

“Sir Hellsing!” She wails, bending a little and clutching at her shoulder. “This monster has tried to hurt Kate! I was wrong to follow them but I had to make sure he doesn’t hurt her!”

Speechless, Kate finds herself overwhelmed by the believable acting, and, not only that, since she’s being erratic then Sir Integra won’t be able to tell which is true and which isn’t.

Since Sir Integra hates Mullo, she focuses on him, her ire and hatred and everything on him, which leaves Kate and, shockingly, the Vedmak, too, at a great disadvantage.

“Kate, are you alright?” Alina asks, now skidding towards the shell-shocked girl to embrace her. “I’m sorry it took too long to come here,” Saying so, she looks at all of Kate with keen eyes, and then at Tess. “You did well, too. Come here, now, Kannika will keep you safe.”

Without meaning to, Kate pushes Alina away as if hoping that will force Tess to remain in her spot. As Alina demands what the matter is, Tess is the one who actually takes the initiative to check up on Kate up close.

A bark of laughter breaks out in the vast room, echoing off the large walls. Kate finds that Mullo has tossed his head to the back, his shoulders rocking along with his flashy laugh.

“Oh, this is brilliant!” He marvels, his eyes landing on Kate’s. “It looks like I’ve been played. Well, I guess concessions have to be made, don’t they?”

Their eyes meet, the two mates’, and Kate isn’t going to ruminate on her options for anyone’s sake. She knows she was at a disadvantage and there’s been a chance bestowed upon her, and she feels the need to be protected right now, that’s why she decides to dash towards her mate; however, Tess’ desperation gets in her way as she claps her hand around Kate’s, stopping her advance.

“You can’t!” Tess beseeches. “He’s going to hurt you!”

For some reason, Kate can’t bring herself to blurt out the name of the real culprit here. One, Mullo is here, and, according to everyone, he’s the real enemy. Blurting out Tess’ name suddenly won’t change their months’ of conviction, Kate believes. Two–

The Vedmak surprises everyone when he summons his Wendigo to launch its attack on Sir Hellsing and Kannika. He probably concluded that would keep them busy for a while, and he isn’t wrong.

Kate fought the Wendigo once, and that thing is relentless.

Tess pulls Kate’s back to her chest, and wraps her arms tightly around the girl as they stand there, facing the advancing Vedmak whose smirk never fades.

“Leave us alone, you monster!” Tess roars. “I won’t let you hurt us!”

Alina jumps at the Vedmak, but his extended hand and the light gushing out from it brings the Strega’s body to a violent pause where she struggles to move but fails.

“My fight isn’t with any of you,” he says, voice low and dark, “it’s with her.”

The brunette Mage sees his jut of chin at herself and Tess, but no one knows whom he is really addressing. She sees Sir Integra and Kannina both fighting the Wendigo and trying to keep up with his speed, and she sees Alina struggling to move but only her fuming eye pupils do.

Then she sees the Vedmak’s unforgiving eyes and his hand that almost lands on her face, so she musters all of her courage and screams: “ _Tess_ is the enemy!”

The witch grips her tighter, her arm winding around Kate’s neck perhaps to strangle her, but it’s Mullo who reacts faster, clutching Kate’s hair in his strong grip.

“Get out of my way.” He mutters, now pulling at Kate’s hair enough to free her from Tess’ grasp, and then flinging her to the side rough enough to cause her to stumble.

Kate staggers for a bit, her heel was broken so the alternation of altitude from one foot to the other is palpable, before finally finding her footing to look around. The sight of leaf abscission in trees under a somewhat purplish and cherry pink sky surrounds her, and the smell changes out of the blue, becoming earthly and fresh instead of the stagnant smell of dust and smoke. And, rather than hearing screams and more things breaking, Kate hears birds singing and branches creaking.

The only thing that explains this abrupt change in space is the possibility of Mullo using his uncanny magic to teleport her outside the manor. Determined, Kate decides to weave her way out of these woods and back to the manor.

After much limping and tripping, Kate manages to meander her way back to the entryway of the woods, a little farther from the gazebo she used to sit under with Angus. However, what catches her off-guard is the absence of all and any entities; the gardens have gained their lush and rather dreamlike appearance. There are no monsters lurking around, no mist making vision difficult, and no bodies or blood painting the grounds and the walls.

For a moment, Kate almost thinks that it was but one of her nightmares, having been so vivid she almost believed it…

Ambling closer to the manor with an evident limp, Kate spots two bulky blond soldiers in official garments, strolling beside the crying maiden statues with their hands on their weapons, and they spot her. Thinking they might help, because, obviously, their uniforms suggest they work for Hellsing, Kate waves to them.

“Hi, can one of you please tell me what happened to the fight?” She gets the surprise of her life when they come dashing towards her only to seize her. “What do you think you’re doing?” Kate barks, feeling hot with rage. “I work for Sir Hellsing! You have no right to apprehend me!”

Since they’re bulkier, Kate finds it impossible to wrench her arms from theirs.

“We don’t allow intruders,” one of them said, and then the other added, “If you really work here, how come we’ve never seen you before?”

“What’re you talking about?” Kate hefts her arms but they force them down. “It’s probably because I’m always cooped up in my room, but you can ask Sir Integra, or anyone inside the manor, they’ll tell you.”

“We shall see.”

Kate realizes that they’re making their way to the manor’s entrance, which is good, because she will make sure that these two get a good telling-off.

As they walk inside, the tip of Kate’s stomach somersaults when her eyes peer up at the stair landing where Walter and Seras’ familiar were having a one-on-one, finding nothing there.

Her brows crease deeper. “What happened to the fight?”

Expectedly, none of the soldiers bother answering her query. She remains patient and silent, only one heel clacking on the panel until they lead her to the direction of the Gun Room. The harsh echo of clinking metal and muffled chatter meet her ears the closer they get, before the doors are opened, and then she is led in.

The chatter immediately quiets down, and the noise of metal dies and so does its echo. Kate only stands there staring at the people staring back at her, her arms seized by the robust soldiers.

She discerns the people she knows amongst those whom she is only acquainted with, like Kim Luke. What is that man doing here!

“Will you please let go of me now?” Kate addresses The Salamanca brothers who refuse to budge. “Seriously, you need to change your courtship rituals; this is so unattractive!”

“Kate?”

Upon hearing Zuri’s voice, Kate faces forward again, finding the plump lady heading her way, dressed in black sports bra and leggings. Her curly locks looking rich and lush and her ever gleaming eyes seem to be shining even more.

“Oh, Zuri, thank God!” Kate exhales. “Please tell these gentlemen here to release my arms. I feel so stupid being dragged like this.”

Then Seras comes rushing their way, her eyes big and glinting. “Kate, is it really you?”

“Girls, come on, I don’t have time for your games.” Kate tries to wrench her arms from the two soldiers. “And what the hell happened to the fight? The place was swarming with monsters just a minute ago, now there’s nothing out there!”

Lifting up both hands, Zuri closes her eyes for a second as though to collect herself. “Brad, Ben, you may release her now.”

“Yes, Brad and Ben, why don’t you listen to the boss and release me?” Kate gives the men a shit-eating grin.

Brad and Ben follow Zuri’s order, and Kate finally feels free from their hold so she scoots away from them carefully not to tumble to the floor.

“Now, can someone please tell me what’s going on?” she demands.

“Kate,” Seras is staring, openly, and that’s saying something since the girl has always been known to be a tad shy. “Where have you been this whole time, we’ve searched everywhere for you.”

The brunette glares at her. “I was hiding in the Music Room.”

“For six months?” Zuri wonders.

“Don’t be stupid,” Kate says on a stutter-like chuckle which soon wanes. Judging by their look, the girls aren’t fooling around. Kate wonders if Mullo didn’t only change her location, but time as well. “W-wait,” she licks her lips, “What do you mean by six months?”

It’s neither Zuri nor Seras that answers, it is Luke.

The man joins their little circle; his hair is wrapped in a ponytail, and he is still wearing leather _everything_. “Do you know what month this is?”

“April.”

“Kate,” Zuri starts with a dark expression. “It’s October.”

Then Seras chimes in, “It is October 27th.”


	21. Austria's Wraith - Part 2

When the purple and cherry pink hues melt into crimson over the limitless heathland, when the undulated layers of grey clouds hang low in the sky, that’s when it hits her that rain is coming; the peaceful moment is gone now.

Kate’s been led to one of the benches at the side, and she remembers, quite vividly, that sitting is not the only thing she did on this particular bench; and she’s now sitting next to Ian, who nodded vaguely at her as if in acknowledgment but kept his mouth shut; that’s a first.

Now, Seras, with Zuri and Luke, are standing before her, waiting for her explanation after the big reveal, which kind of makes them look like the Giant Heads.

“Look,” Kate groans. She’s covered in dirt, shrapnel and trauma; she’d like a hot bath, thank you. But, no, the pack and their dramatics! “Like I said, one moment I was in the Music Room, the next I’m prowling through the woods.”

“You say it like that but it’s been six months, Kate.” Zuri crouches, probably theorizing that the three of them looming over her wasn’t going to help the girl relax; she’s wrong, because Kate almost laughed at her own joke of them looking like Moai. “You must have seen something or been somewhere.”

These people, they still have a problem grasping the uses of magic despite everything they’ve seen Kate and other practitioners do. They’re probably finding it hard to believe Kate because, she admits, six months isn’t the same as getting tossed into a time loop that only took less than three seconds.

The best thing to do, right now, is remain calm.

“You weren’t in the room with us; there was Mullo, Tess, Alina and Kannina, and Sir Integra and I, and that’s it.” Kate exhales, long and heavy. “You didn’t see what happened, so I don’t feel the need to explain myself to any of you right now. What I want is for you to tell me what came of the fight, and what happened to Walter and Tess!”

She’d always have secretive gatherings with Walter, wrapping him in her incantations and controlling him with her wicked spells, and it always looked like the man was the one instructing her.

Kate remembers seeing them, sometimes by the stair post, and sometimes in random hallways, talking in hushed murmurs…

Not only that, but she’s been in here before Kate, commanding her webs to trap those whom she needed for her plan, and playing them and causing pain and sorrow to everyone! Tess was the one who called for the clothed men to sabotage Sir Integra’s birthday by cursing her and framing Kate. She was the one who ruined the master’s trust in Kate…

There’s no redeeming after that.

Kate doesn’t think herself capable of forgiving, not now and not ever.

“Walter is fine,” Seras provides, and that causes Kate to pay attention again. “He had a rough couple of weeks after the curse was undone. Alina was the one who found the mirror binding him and broke the spell.”

Kate’s expression lights up as she lets out a relieved chuckle. “That’s great news!”

“Tess didn’t make it, though.” Zuri finishes for her. “Mullo beheaded her right where she was standing.”

Kate isn’t surprised. She crinkles her nose and shrugs. “Yeah, that’s his signature killing method.” She grins. “Well, good riddance, right?”

“Yes.” Zuri sighs. “I heard Alucard took on Mullo–”

“He did!” Seras interjects. “It was very interesting to watch. Their fight lasted for a long time, but I’d like to believe that it was my master who won.”

“Alucard fought the Vedmak?” Kate inquires.

“He did.” Seras faces her now. “There was a lot of damage afterwards, but the moment the Vedmak fled, we knew who the winner was. The Vedmak never showed his face again after that.”

Kate scoffs; he didn’t show his face even back then.

“Alright, but what’s he doing here?” She juts her chin at Luke.

Said man and Seras share a pointed look, before Seras says, “On that day of the attack, I called him. With you gone, we needed all the backup we’d get; Mullo’s monsters were thronging the place.”

“I’ve been participating in their training as well,” Luke provides despite the fact that nobody asked him. “After the attack, I spent my time relocating from the manor and to my place, before Seras finally convinced me to move in as part of the Hellsing army.”

The brunette looks amazed from Luke and to Seras. “You two are dating?” This shouldn’t be the first of their concern, yet, surprisingly, it is!

“Kate,” Zuri gives Kate this appointed look that is tainted with a deep smirk. “They’re engaged.”

Immediately, Kate’s eyes study their fingers for any rings, finding shining silver on the digits. “Shut up!” she marvels, now sprinting up and swooping Seras in her arms. “I’m sorry if I smell but, my God, I can’t believe it!”

The earlier tension seeps out of the training room, replaced by happy giggles and proud glinting in their eyes. And Kate pulls away enough to hold Seras’ hands in hers.

“Well, first of all, congratulations, and two, way to go, girl! I never imagined you’d end up with Wade Walker over there” –Luke _heys_ her like an annoyed prat but they can all tell it’s in good humor– “And, Seras, I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you.”

The blonde grips Kate’s hands tightly and shakes her head. “Don’t apologize for something you couldn’t control. I know that you wouldn’t have missed this for the world, but I also know that the choice of staying was taken from you.”

The words overwhelm her and Kate almost, almost cries, before shaking her head to stop her tears; she started this off looking calm and cynical, and that’s how she’s going to maintain this until she’s protected by her privacy.

“Actually,” Zuri’s smirk deepens even more, “they aren’t the only affianced couple in this house.”

That’s when Kate's jaw drops. “No, are you–?”

Zuri cuts her off, “No, not me.” She crosses her arms under her full breasts. “Katrina and Fajr.”

Kate’s hands slowly fall from Seras, eyes looking on in awe. “I’ll be damned,” she says, “When?”

“Well,” Seras is the one who answers, “Luke proposed to me two months ago. Fajr and Katrina got engaged a month before. So, three months ago.”

She’s lived in this manor for almost two years now, but nothing exciting happened, yet the second she gets tossed through a dimensional portal for _three_ fucking seconds, suddenly everyone is getting engaged!

“Man, I’m sorry for missing out on so many important events.” Kate sighs, despondently. “I swear it really felt like seconds for me.” Speaking of occasions. “Wait, you said it’s the 27th of October?”

Seras nods. “And I know what you’re thinking,” her smile falls, “but you may forget it.”

“Why?” Kate demands. A part of her is hoping that Seras hasn’t really got the first idea on what Kate is thinking, but she highly doubts it.

“The moment Sir Integra learned of our plans to celebrate her birthday, she took the car and left, and that was two days ago.”

No, Seras was wrong.

Yes, it did cross Kate’s mind that today is Sir Integra’s birthday, but, with everything that’s happened, Kate barely sees it as a day to celebrate. She mourns this day and she hates that Mullo picked to send her back to here and now.

With brows furrowing, Kate asks, “Where is she?”

“Only Walter knows,” Zuri answers, “the rest of us are just as baffled.”

This is too much to take in, Kate concludes.

Sitting back down on the bench to break off the other heel off its sole, Kate says, “I should go back to my room. I need to clean up and change.” Oddly enough, that only warrants shifty looks. “What is it?”

“Your room is locked.”

“I’ll unlock it then. I need to contact my family; God, it’s been ages now and they must have already built me an altar thinking that I am dead.”

“No, that’s not–” Seras looks a little bit frustrated; and here Kate’s tried to liven up the mood by cracking jokes. “Kate, your room’s been locked for six months. The only one who has the key is Sir Integra, and she never lets it out of her sight.”

The Mage stares at Seras’ mouth as if she isn’t capable of retaining the words. “W-well, I –” what, exactly? How is any of this supposed to make any sense? Then, Kate realizes she only needs to understand one thing. “Why?”

“I personally don’t know,” Seras starts, but Zuri flings her this _strange_ look as if detecting the lie there. The blonde perceives it and quickly changes her tone. “I mean, I have an idea why, we all do, but it’s a little complicated.”

“Uncomplicate it for me, then?”

Zuri arbitrates to shut the whole thing down. “Kate, don’t worry about your family; Fajr’s been copying your texting style and has been keeping regular contact with them. Now, you can help yourself to my bathroom, I’ll ask Katrina to bring some of your clothes from Sir Integra’s room?”

At last, they all seem to be breathing out a sigh of relief when Kate nods absentmindedly to Zuri’s preposition.

The minute the bathroom’s door closes, Kate’s mask falls and she only stands there, only a phantom of her merry self minutes ago as she chatted with Zuri about all the news she’s heard today.

It’s a small bathroom compared to Sir Integra’s or hers, there’s a vanity unit, grey tiles on the walls, the ceiling and the floor; which is ill-advised if they live in a country that sees more grey days than sunny days. There’s a toilet and a freestanding bath which Kate delights at seeing; she always thought it was such a shame she didn’t get the chance to try it in Salisbury.

More importantly, if it’s October 27th, it means the Supermoon eclipse happened a month ago. The last such eclipse happened in 1982, and the next won’t occur until 2033… This means that the only chance Kate has had is gone now, and the possibility of healing Sir Integra from the curse has become so scarce if Kate is going to be fifty’ something in 2033.

“Don’t do this to me,” Kate mutters to herself, and slowly looks up now at her wretched reflection on the beveled sink mirror. “Don’t…”

With six months gone, one would think things are going to get better, but why does it seem to her that things are not?

*******

It’s not until she’s sitting relaxed in the bathtub, the hot water wrapping her sore muscles despite her wound zapping from time to time that a knock on the door echoes inside the tiled and steam-filled room.

“May I come in?”

Kate takes a moment to think about the reason why Zuri would need to come in especially to talk when she has super hearing and can hear her from downstairs.

“Yeah, sure, come in!”

The door opens and Zuri shuffles in, and Kate sees her eyes shifting to study the room before they finally settle on hers; she wonders if the girl actually regretted sharing her bathroom with Kate but she knows that’s not 100% true.

“Hey,” she smiles, “Sorry about this but I just wanted to let you know that your clothes have been brought and, uh,” her eyes shift again but Kate’s squint egg her on to speak, “I thought you’d like to know, Sir Integra is on the way.”

Immediately, Kate lifts up from the waters that run down her bare body, and, despite her haste to get out of the tub to wash, she doesn’t fail to notice Zuri’s eyes tripping to the wound.

“I’m almost done,” she says, “I’ll be with you guys in a moment.”

“Good,” Zuri lingers, and she does something that is quite unlike her; she hesitates. “Kate, there’s –I mean, a lot of things have happened since you were gone. There have been a few changes.”

Yeah? Like how everyone is suddenly getting ingaged?

“Zuri, just tell me.” Kate huffs. “It’s so awkward for me to be standing naked with you here.”

Fortunately, Zuri chuckles as though at last realizing their situation. “We’ll be inside the dining room when you’re done.”

Nodding, Kate watches Zuri show that tight smile before leaving and closing the door behind her.

She did say a lot of changes have been made, but Kate doesn’t see the change; everything is as exactly as she left it. Maybe, there’s added security, different faces serving, too, but Kate is ready to bet that it is so because it was Tess who led the attack. They aren’t going to trust people to serve in this house if they don’t run full background checks on them.

How was Tess able to get past Alucard’ radars? That giant mosquito was the one who warranted the master and Walter about the magic in Kate’s blood. How did he fail to notice the same about Tess?

Perhaps, Mullo’s intervention helped alter the vampire’s senses about Tess. Kate remembers Alina talking about something similar, that Mullo’s blood helped keep his minions undetected.

Finally, the doors to the living room that connects to the dining room come into view, and as Kate walks down the hallway with new chunky heel ankle boots and the long sleeve, knee-length knit dress Kate purchased from a Korean store last year, she sees Katrina coming out of the door.

The raven-haired comes to a stop, and so does Kate, and the two stare at each other like guilty thieves. One, Kate isn’t sure how to act especially when, prior to her awful weird time trip, they two weren’t talking, so she isn’t sure what to do now. Two, Katrina isn’t looking only like a guilty thief, no, she also looks gutted by the reunion.

“Um, hi?” Kate starts, deciding to approach the other lady since the place she’s headed to is right behind her. “To be honest, I don’t know how to start this, but I heard you’re engaged now, so, congratulations!”

That’s a good start.

“I couldn’t believe it when they said you were back!” Katrina gushes, now pouncing on the girl to wrap her in her arms. “Where have you been this whole time, you idiot, you missed our engagement!”

The brunette can’t help but wind her arms around Katrina as well. “I’m sorry,” just like that, she forgives her for what happened; Kate is certain Katrina beat herself over it too. “I’m really happy for you and Fajr, you know that?”

“I know that, Kate.” Katrina pulls away to eye all of Kate. “Oh, you haven’t changed a bit,” she says, perhaps silently chiding herself for putting on some baby fat which Kate has noticed. “I heard you time-traveled, how curious!” She gushes. “Fajr would be elated for that story.”

“Angus, too!” Kate agrees. “That man is fond of such theories!”

“Oh, I’m so happy that you’re finally back; it’s been so quiet and boring here without you.”

“It’s relieving and in equal parts worrying to know that I’m a source of entertainment for you.”

“Of course you are!” Katrina laughs. “Who else am I going to annoy and steal food from?”

Laughing as well, Kate taps Katrina’s shoulder. “I’ll be more guarded from now on.”

“Means more entertainment for me,” Katrina shrugs, now she motions to the door. “Get in there, they’re expecting you.”

“I’ll see you later?” Kate asks, and Katrina nods. “awesome.”

With the raven-haired gone, Kate inhales a large intake of breath before exhaling it, now walking into the room.

She finds the pack in the illuminated living-room, all seated except for Sir Integra who isn’t present with them; Walter is, even Alucard, but not the master.

“Kate, you’re here,” Seras looks from her fiancé, who’s sitting beside her, and at Kate, and now motioning at one of the large chesterfields. “Please, take a seat.”

Kate does, placing her hands on her lap and crossing her legs at the ankles. “Walter,” she addresses the standing man whose will she remembers was taken. “I’m glad that you’re yourself again.”

“All thanks to your friend, Alina.” He says with a smile. “Her shrewd acumen saved my life.”

“Or so I heard.” Kate returns the smile, before facing Alucard who’s enjoying his wine by the fireplace. “And I also heard that you beat Mullo, Al.”

Instead of replying, the vampire raises his glass as if in celebration.

“That puts me in shame,” she doesn’t understand why they’re being –what’s the word, _polite_? But she finds this peaceful moment quite enjoyable without Alucard or Ian, or even Walter, having to ruin it by their spite. “I fought him back in Älvdalen, but he seemed stronger than I.”

When he doesn’t reply with one of his one-liners, Kate feels something amiss. If Alucard doesn’t give his sarcastic comebacks, Kate is scared he’s deemed her unworthy; if he beat Mullo then perhaps this attitude of his might explain why. Then again, Alucard has always been a weirdo.

“Dinner will be a while,” Zuri says, “would you like to eat something before then?”

“It’s fine, I had dinner an hour ago.” After her statement, uncomfortable silence follows; snap, she totally forgot about the time skip! “Or, you know what, I can eat!” There’s tea and pastries on the coffee table, so she helps herself to a sweet roll.

With more silence, the ticking of the wall clock increases, as though edging Kate to look at it, and Kate does, eventually, eying its shape and color, and finally the time: three fifteen.

“I’m sorry, but what are we exactly waiting for?” it may have been six months for them, but, for her, it was only an hour or so, and she doesn’t want to sit with them in the same room more than what is comfortable. And this is too uncomfortable for her, and awkward! She never thought silent Ian or Alucard would be this boring; no wonder Katrina hugged her like an octopus.

Zuri volunteers to answer. “We asked Walter to call for Sir Integra and inform her of your arrival. But, to be honest, we also think that this is a good chance to celebrate her birthday, now that everyone is here. And you.”

Since it sounds so adorable, Kate doesn’t raise any arguments; especially not about the settings. This feels too formal for her taste, and not to mention that they look stiff.

Unable to comment any further, Kate smiles and bites on the sweet roll; this is going to be fun…

Luke has been recounting one of his adventures in the East like that uncle who embellishes his story until you can’t tell whether whatever he’s saying is true or just another exaggeration; he stops suddenly and directs his gaze at the door, as does the rest of the pack.

The first thing she hears is footsteps, harsh but firm, approaching and getting louder, then Sir Integra marches in, dressed in a velvet coat, trousers and a turtleneck, all in black.

Well, at long last! The spotlight is going to be shed on Sir Integra now, which means Kate can slouch in her seat without anyone to judge.

Sir Integra walks forward, advancing to where everyone is seated, and the closer she gets, the more confused Kate feels about the eyepatch on the master’s human eye.

She’s finished her sweet roll, so that gives her plenty of time to stare at the Alpha who’s finally reached their circle. She takes in the fatigued look on the master’s face, the trace of a vertical scar under the eyepatch, and the Lichtenberg-like markings that have become even darker and more spoken.

Contrary to what she thought, the spotlight remains on her, but when her concern for her mate grows, she forgives the discomfort.

“Sir…” She starts, now slowly lifting up to make her way to said master.

Sir Integra remains quiet, her furrowing expression doing all the talking as Kate understands that, perhaps, she is as confused by Kate’s return as is Kate by the master’s appearance.

Kate finally reaches the taller person, inches apart yet the girl feels as though a million lights years separates them. There’s a halo of doubt and careful curiosity surrounding the Alpha, as though its senses alert her about Kate and her intentions.

This never used to be an issue; even way back when Kate had first started working here, the master never _looked_ this guarded.

“Sir…?”

This feels like that awkward moment when you and someone you know are both online, but when you send them hi, they never reply.

“Are you certain about this?” Although her eyes are trained on Kate’s, they all she’s addressing the pack.

“Like I said, she’s been tested, with holy water and silver,” Walter responds.

“W-with holy water–” Kate swivels to glower at the butler. “When did you get the chance to do all that?”

Seras clears her throat. “When you were bathing, Zuri spluttered some holy water on you” That probably explains the eye-shifting! “And when you were eating just now, you were using silverware.”

A pause follows, and then Kate’s brows travel up. “Okay?” she drawls. “Did I pass, or do I have to answer your questions three now?” She shakes her head. “Honestly, I have no idea what’s going on anymore. Do you think I’m a shapeshifter, a demon?”

“It’s only a precaution,” Water says, “Last month, there was a mishap, so to speak, and–”

“Walter,” Sir Integra cuts him off with her deep voice, “Don’t talk about things that don’t concern you.”

“I apologize, ma’am.” He nods slightly.

What happened last month that they’ve become so untrusting of Kate’s existence and whether it is her or not?

“Sir,” Kate tries again, “Your eye, what happened to your eye?”

The moment her hand reaches out to frame the master’s cheek, to thumb the eyepatch, Kate is disturbed by the fact that Sir Integra’s just flinched away from her touch. Then, her hand remains in the air, mourning the loss.

“You avoided my hand.” Kate’s done taking her shit; if there’s something going on, there’s no need for the master to act like a dick. “What’s with that?”

“Warn me first,” the master drones.

“Why do I have to warn you first before I touch you?”

Ian, for the first time since her return, takes the wheel and handles them out of the situation. “We bought a cake, and we were hoping you’d make an exception and stay up the night with us?” he said. “Kate’s finally back, and that’s enough reason to celebrate.”

Zuri adds “It’s the holidays, and we’ve got no school.”

“We just want to celebrate together, Sir, especially now that we’ve all gathered here.” Seras is still as adorable as ever. “Kate is back, after six months, and, like Ian said, that’s a reason to celebrate if you don’t want it to be about your birthday!”

At first, Kate, without a doubt, felt a little dismayed by the interruption, but soon came to accept that it was for the best; she doesn’t want their drama to affect everyone’s mood.

Breathing out a big sigh, Kate swallows her annoyance and waits.

After much staring, the master glances at Kate, turns and mutters. “Another time, maybe.”

The Mage witnesses the way the kids’ shoulders drop and how their smiles fall; there’s absolutely no reason to turn them down after they’ve gone all the way to plan everything to be perfect. Don’t do that to a kid, and even if you don’t want a part in it, decline in a respectful way.

Before she knows it, Kate is rushing after her mate and finally catches up when they’re outside those doors.

“Wait, wait!” Kate finds that she has to stand before Sir Integra to stop her advance, but, since she can’t really touch her, she hefts her hands in the air. “Just wait a second.”

Go past the dark look in that eye, Kate tells herself.

“Look, I don’t know what the fuck is going on,” Kate decides to go with honesty, but, for some reason, her pulse is too loud in her head, and her breathing is too uneven. “And I’m not even sure if we’re still acting like you instructed me to back in the hideout, because, obviously, you don’t look very happy to see me; but if you’re not, and if it’s me who makes it–” what’s the word? “Difficult? Then, I’ll get out of your hair. You won’t even have to deal with me.” Shit, the things she forces herself to say to make people happy; she needs to change that habit soon.

“But, for the pack’s sake if not for mine or yours, go back in there.” The moment Kate’s bottom lip trembles, Kate knows it’s high time she ended this idiocy. “Just for tonight, do as they want.”

The master stares on with a resolute and an unchangeable look, but the oddity of the eyepatch makes her unbendable stance seem crueler than what it is.

Eventually, her fists loosen and she lifts up her chin, before she turns again and enters the room.

Kate breathes out a shaky breath, her chest rising and falling. “Okay,” she whispers. “It’s okay.”

Pure excitement veiled the pack as they danced pit-a-pat to the funky music blaring out from Zuri’s Bluetooth speaker. With Walter and Alucard gone, one to instructs Mrs. Marcy on what to send next and the other to his chamber of doom; God knows how enamored is Alucard with night walks. Still, the rest didn’t feel any restriction about moving with the hype music.

Zuri with Ian, and Seras with Luke, they dance as though they’ve forgotten how to stand still. The earlier gloom seems to be replaced by gleeful giggles. Kate’s been asked to join them for a dance but she declined with the excuse of sore limbs from the fight, which was true.

As she watches the four of them dance, unable to stop her own smile because theirs is just that contagious, she feels eyes on her. The moment she faces forward, Sir Integra, who’s sitting across from her, looks elsewhere.

She thought she imagined it but the moment it happens again, Kate becomes certain that someone is checking her out.

Perhaps, she doesn’t have any cause for concern; Sir Integra and her pack just need some time to feel comfortable around Kate again.

Just as the Mage decides to go and sit with her mate, said person starts rummaging her chest pocket, and finally takes out her phone. And the rest must have heard the vibration which is why Zuri leaped to the speaker to shut it off.

“Mr. Park,” Sir Integra speaks into her phone. “It’s been ages, how have you been?”

It is enjoyable and soothing to watch Sir Integra trying to socialize; it doesn’t matter what Zuri said because a lot of things never chance. Kate knows she still needs to learn the story behind the eyepatch and the scar, but, first, she needs to understand why Sir Integra is still acting so uptight.

“That’s unfortunate,” she says, “Yes. Well, I’ll see what I can do. However, you must know that nothing is guaranteed.” After another pause, “Excellent. I’ll get back to you soon.”

Ian perks up. “Who was it?”

The only reason he asks, Kate understands, is because he listened in on the conversation. If it were business-related, he wouldn’t have dared. This means the phone call was with a client, perhaps, looking to rid of some type of evil.

“An old friend in South Korea is looking to benefit from our expertise,” she starts, “It seems that his partner is being haunted by some type of an entity. He asked if we’d identify it and destroy it.”

“When are you leaving?”

The master starts rising to her long legs. “It takes approximately ten hours to get there by the jet, so I reckon if I leave at dawn, I can make it there early enough to understand the situation.”

“I’ll come with you.” Zuri volunteers.

“Me too,” Ian presses forward.

“No one is coming with,” Sir Integra thrusts her hands into her pockets. “I need to find out what the boy is dealing with first before I summon any of you.”

“If I may,” Kate starts, and sort of relaxes when the master’s eyes fall on hers. “If you’re planning on going there to investigate only, then I’m your best choice. I’ve dealt with a lot of cases of hauntings, and I don’t think this one will be any different. If you want, I’m willing to go with you.”

After silent ogling, the master finally nods. “Very well, then.”

*******

_Yocheon, South Korea–_ In the early morning, Sungjae wakes up a little after Heung Su and remains in bed, hating to leave his sanctuary for now because of that thing still in the corner of the room. He waits for Heung Su, who walks out of the bathroom very shortly, looking a little surprised to see Sungjae up so early.

“You left me alone.” Sungjae pouts, his hands on his folded knees. Heung Su’s surprise soon melts into an eased smile, he walks up to the bed and sits at the edge. Sungjae then nibbles at his bottom lip before speaking. “The shop,” he starts, “I have to be there today.”

“You don’t want to go there alone.” It isn’t a question; Heung Su knows that if Sungjae, the guy who befriends gumihos, can’t stay away from him, then whatever he’s seeing isn’t the normal bad. “I’ll call the owner; I don’t suppose he would mind my employee taking over for a few days.”

“I can’t do that.” Sungjae shakes his head, now running a hand through his hair. “He’s going to think I’m being ungrateful. He already gave me five days off.”

I’m not letting you out of my sight, Sungjae,” He says, “You had a seizure yesterday because of that thing, even though everyone was here.”

Sungjae peeks up at him from under his bangs.

“I’ll explain everything to him, so stop worrying too much.” Saying so, he readies to lift up but Sungjae’s hand on his stops him. He looks over at him, finding the man blushing before mumbling, ‘thank you’.

He ruffles his hair. “Get ready though, that Alpha is going to be here soon.”


	22. Austria's Wraith - Part 3

She wipes the fogged window of the car that is grooving on the dirt road and rocking them side to side, and eyes the thatched roof houses, the limitless lands of greenery accentuated by marvelous mountains.

Then, the highlights of last night revisit her...

With the impromptu trip on the waiting, Sir Integra decided to take her leave in the middle of the party, and, while the pack didn’t argue since they’d gotten what they’d wanted, that left Kate wide open to speculation; however, soon enough, she was being ushered to leave as well.

“Come,” said the master. “It’s time to retire for the night.”

For a moment, it felt like a dream where everything was back to normal, which Kate was happy to live.

Kate nodded and trotted after her master who led them out of the living-room. The pack stayed, along with Walter, and only their murmurs followed the two to the hallways.

“I loved the handcrafted ornament Seras and Zuri gave you,” Kate started, shuffling to keep up with the master’s wide steps. “They said they’d been working on it for two weeks. It’s clear how much they love you.”

Sir Integra remained silent, only pivoting between hallways as though attempting to flee the remnants of a bad dream.

That didn’t discourage Kate; she’d dealt with worse moods. “I can’t believe that Ian brought you a wrinkle massager!” She let out a bubbly laugh. “He said it was an antique, but I bet he was trying to tell you something!”

“You reckon?”

Those two words caused happiness to surge and flow within her chest, and Kate scooted closer and looked up with a grin. “Of course!” She gushed. “He might try to outrank you if he’s picking on your wrinkles!”

That didn’t give the master a laugh, but Kate swears it caused Sir Integra to smirk in order to try and hide her smile.

“We’re here.”

Kate faced forward, and that’s when she saw the door to her room, which the master, then, unlocked with a key attached to her own keychain.

The door creaked open and Kate walked in, welcomed by the dimness and the dust particles. The lights illumined, and that’s how Kate knew it was the master who switched them on before leaning against the doorframe, only watching as Kate inspected the interior.

“They told me that no one’s been to my room since I left.”

The master nodded, now hiding her hands in her pockets.

Kate hummed. “No one except for you, you mean?”

The master curled her lips in a ‘don’t know what you’re talking about’ gesture.

“Come on,” Kate drones. “I know you’ve been coming to my room.”

“How do you figure?”

The brunette pointed at one of the nightstands. “That ashtray wasn’t there; it was on the coffee table. You recently changed your habit and started smoking away from the bed, remember?” Kate read the slight nuances on the master’s face, and elated. “So I know for a fact that I didn’t leave that ashtray on the nightstand.”

As if attempting to avoid Kate’s keen eyes, Sir Integra crossed her arms over her chest. “So?”

Amused, Kate advanced towards her mate. “So,” she enunciated, “I want to know why you kept the room locked for six months.”

“You were gone,” at first glance, it almost looked as though the master was going to be successful carrying out the false bravado, but Kate had seen most of her and, therefore, knew the obstinate lie in there. “The room wasn’t used so I had to lock it.”

“Bull,” Kate approached her master even closer. “Most of the rooms in this manor are rarely used, but they are never locked. You’ve been using this room, haven’t you?” At that, Kate ushered at the wrinkled bed sheets. “I had still not used my bed when I heard the gunshots and left.” Kate fumed. “Are you going to stop lying through your fangs and tell me what happened?”

“I should get going.”

The master, flustered, turned to leave but Kate quickly said, “Walter mentioned a mishap that caused you that eye injury, what’s up with that?”

The minute the Alpha swiveled to glare, Kate got caught right in the disheveled and blushing face. Oh, how interesting! The doleful eye and the flushing cheeks, although scarred, caused a buried side in Kate to rise from its slumber.

It felt like sinister delight; the feeling you get when you want to make a mess out of someone!

Kate was sorry for what everyone went through, especially the master, and while she felt that way, the master’s flustered appearance made her realize how a part of her didn’t really care. She’d never known how dark her other part was until she suddenly received the inspiration to toy with the master.

As their eyes met, Kate’s gluttonizing her master’s, she was the first to withdraw and let the master escape the embarrassment.

For once, she wasn’t going to play by the rules.

“It’s gotten really late,” the Mage said while heading back to her bed and toeing off her shoes. “I want to get some sleep.”

As she watched her master actually _struggle_ as her body ostensibly fought against the idea of leaving despite her mind rationalizing her to, Kate’s lips widened.

“Was there anything else?”

Sir Integra looked gutted; Kate had always been the one to initiate a conversation, always the one to instigate a touch, and always the one to confess her undying love. Now, however, it looked obvious that the girl had taken a different approach which Sir Integra didn’t appreciate.

Too bad, darling; Kate had already made up her mind.

“Uh,” the Alpha stood there like a sad puppy with ears held back, “N-no. I’ll let you rest.”

So she wouldn’t yield and doom her plan by calling the master in for a hug, Kate chose to slither under the covers and pretend to fall asleep. She heard silence for a bit, before the master closed the door and finally left.

The master thought she would have better luck on the jet, but Kate had already had her mind made, so she slept during the flight, too.

If someone was going to argue that playing mind games is manipulative, Kate would happily punch their face in. Neither she nor her master is good at expressing feelings, and, while Kate had overcome a lot to prove herself, the master had all but sat there taking it all in and never giving something in return. This was Kate’s prerogative. Nothing in life is free, and especially not precious emotions of love and devotion.

Kate won’t tolerate anyone taking her for granted, and if discussions rise about her indirect methods, she wouldn’t even sit there to listen.

It’s taken so many years, and so many obstacles and overcoming hardships to finally understand that they aren’t normal, none of them are, nor are their problems. The pack is a bundle of scarred pups starved for attention and recognition, full of complexes. The Alpha lacks empathy and trust, always expects people to do her bidding and remain loyal despite how she never shows an ounce of gratitude.

And Kate is… available.

She’d given the master everything she wanted; years of uptightness shoved down the drain the second the master ordered Kate to undress. And the orders and the requests never stopped after that, and Kate had been giving and giving, too nervous to ask for something back.

It changes now.

If they know that Kate didn’t cause the curse, and that she wasn’t involved with Tess, or Mullo or their gang, and if they know that all Kate’s done was for the greater good, then no reason remains for the Alpha to sit there and look wrought with doubts.

The barrier, which Sungjae set up around the town to protect it, has been active this whole time, causing a few of Heung su’s subordinates, who weren’t human, to request getting allowed into the village, which, in return, had required Sungjae’s permission. It kept dark creatures from terrorizing this place and its people, and gave more free time to the pack and Sungjae, each going back to the things they enjoy more than prey tracking.

In the evening, Sungjae rides shotgun in Heung su’s Mercedes and the two head to the edge of the barrier, where Sungjae casted the spell by creating an altar-like wall with the four elements. The Alpha waits until his mate finishes the spell that would allow the new guests and their pack only to pass through without being hindered, before he connects the call with the employee he appointed to wait at the location where the private jet would land, instructing him to be efficient and adequate like he always is, to not engage in any talk unless the English Alpha speaks to him first and to not ask any questions.

Sungjae checks his watch; their flight started early this morning so it won’t be long before they’re here, especially when they’re on a private jet which only asserts the part where Ina said, ‘they’re one of the richest in England’.

As they approach the village, pulsing through her is an unswerving force of energy that feels, not familiar, but rather bolstering. She reels her head to her master, who quickly looks out the window so as to not appear as if she was secretly staring at Kate, and, resisting the urge to slide closer and thumb her master’s bottom lip, Kate inquires.

“How long have you been friends with Mr. Park?”

The master faces Kate, eyes flicking to her lips, and says, “I used to know his father, and Park Heung Su, his son, was only a teenager then. After the First Alpha passed, the son inherited a few businesses which I’d partnered with his late father, causing our dealings to go to the son.”

“I see.” Kate hums. “How would you describe his pack?”

“I’ve never met them.”

“Is there perhaps a magic user in his pack?”

“You think there is?” The master furrows her brows, mirroring Kate licking her lips by doing it, too, but slower.

Kate looks around as the car, once again, rocks side to side. “It sure feels like it,” she says, “but it doesn’t feel malignant; in fact, I feel like this magic is what keeps this town safe.”

“I wouldn’t rely on that too much.” The master drawls. “Or else, why would Mr. Park call for my help?”

For some reason, they’ve seated themselves in the living-room. Heung su has talked to Sungjae about having appointed a couple of housekeepers to tend to the guests, and that Sungjae was to stay at his side whatever the situation since Ina will be taking care of the bank, so they didn’t need any reason to not be together.

Sungjae is all onboard with the idea; he also doesn’t want to be left alone, not with that thing haunting him still, or the guests whose reputation has caused Sungjae to fear them before even meeting them.

Just as sudden, Heung su’s phone vibrates, and one glance at it tells him the news.

“They’re here.”

The grooving car between trees finally comes to an end as the driver brings the vehicle to a stop near a French style house, which, Kate admits, is a bit disappointing since she vouched for a hanok.

“Stay here,” the master instructs, now opening the door.

“Are you sure?”

“I’ll send Walter for you in a bit,” she said, now getting off and closing the door.

A maid, dressed in a long black robe and a long white apron, opens the front door while the three hosts wait in the living-room, eyes glancing fervently at each other’s, nervous about what to expect.

Like the ready transition of infancy, Sungjae is gradually overcome by a sense of dread at the fact that he wants to sate growing curiosity of what he doesn’t know of these people.

As though hearing his contradicting prayer, the door opens, admitting a commanding presence, a tall and well-built person dressed in a dark suit under a green triple checkered overcoat with fur collar, black loafers and a tie, saunters in with their hands in their pockets, a cigar between their lips and a leather eyepatch hiding their eye. Long dark hair spilled on their broad shoulders, almost in a majestic way. They’re followed by another tall and lanky old man dressed like your run-out-of-the-mill butler.

For a moment, Sungjae is still processing whether that is a man or woman when he sees something odd about their face as they approach them, while the butler remains by the entrance; on their creamy brown skin, there’s a really strange dark pattern, like a burn scar, on the side of their face which extends to below their jaw and disappears under the tightly buttoned collar. The orb unprotected by the patch looks almost a faded gray.

Back in the car, Kate is reminded of the phantom of the touch she felt while pretending to be napping on the jet. The aquatic smell accompanied by the stringent odor of Cuban cigars roamed over Kate’s face as the master kept petting Kate’s head, smoothing a hand over her brown locks to push them out of her face and to the back, and staring at Kate’s face to the point it almost blew up the girl’s cover as she struggled to keep her heartbeats even.

She knows the master misses her; right before those six months, Sir Integra confessed things that gave both her master and herself a reason to hold on.

Now, however, Kate knows a lot of work has to be put in. But that’s not all, she also knows that Sir Integra will also take part in.

The maid that guided in this person leaves after bowing slightly, and Heung su and that person stand face-to-face; albeit it is gloved, their right hand reaches out for a shake.

“Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Helsing,” Heung su enunciates with a little bit of yearn in his tone, taking their hand in his, and what follows is a line in English that Sungjae finds difficulty understanding. “It’s been a while. I’m glad you could make it.”

Sungjae holds his breath in, anticipating the nuance of that person’s voice, and then falling in the clutch of sheer surprise when they finally speak in a deep and pleasantly modulated voice, after taking the cigar in their other hand.

“Anything for an old friend.”

So, Heung su has just called them, ‘sir’, and adding to that, this person’s body build, their muscled chest and voice suggest they’re a man; however, everything he’s heard about this person suggests that it’s a she. He is reeling. They were expecting an Alpha, and this person is apparently the one but doesn’t look like a woman. On a closer look, Sungjae pinpoints the absence of the Adam apple, or even some stubble. So it could be a woman dressed like a man. Besides, it isn’t unusual nowadays for people to endorse androgyny and he isn’t judging. He just doesn’t want to come across as an ignorant bigot.

“This is the boy?”

Sungjae snaps out of his inner monologue when several pairs of eyes land on him; he finds Heung su introducing him to the guest, who has returned the cigar to their mouth and is now eying him blankly, their expression turning decidedly mulish. He vacillates between taking their hand in a handshake or not, but before he could stop himself, he is already speaking in broken English with his hand palmed out.

“Nice to meet you.”

The Alpha stares at the hand with no amusement whatsoever, and just when Sungjae fidgets in the awkward silence, ready to return his hand to his side, the Alpha takes it in a strong handshake.

“You too,” They say in Sungjae’s language.

And just like that, the dread he’s been feeling till now melts and is replaced by a new sense of unease, like he can’t deal with this person despite being what they are, despising him for being what he is. He saves it because he already promised to keep his opinions to himself.

Heung su ushers to the set of chesterfields beside the fireplace and the paintings, and lingers behind to share a knowing stare with Sungjae in a ‘I told you so’ kind of gesture, to which Sungjae only sighs.

They’ve been sitting there for almost ten minutes with the two Alphas enjoying business talk as though it’s something that actually keeps boredom at bay; Sir Integra is sitting on a single chesterfield, one leg over the other and the cigar between the gloved fingers, relaxing like the place is his, or hers. Heung su mirroring the posture but with his hand in Sungjae’s, who’s perched on the armrest at Heung su’s side. Ina is sitting across, momentary throwing a comment here and there.

“Ah, yes!” They say, coolly. “You haven’t told me yet, Mr. Park, what do you need my help with?”

Heung su recounts what happened, and allows Sungjae’s hand to slip from his to go to his hair and play with the locks.

“I see,” the other says on a thoughtful hum, before looking up at the butler. “Walter, bring her in.”

“Right away, sir.” The old man nods firmly, before vacating the place. “It is not confirmed yet whether she can help or not,” the guest says, leaving Sungjae frowning. “But at least she can show you where to start.”

“That’s all I’m asking.” Heung su nods.

Kate has already gotten out of the vehicle to bask in the somewhat warm sun when Walter exits the house, telling her the master is requesting for her presence inside.

“What’s up?”

Walter motions at the door. “I believe your expertise is required, Miss Kate.” He smiles. “It seems this pack is in a bit of a pickle.”

“Walter,” she starts, “do you remember when you were being hijacked?”

“Well, that’s one way of putting it.” He blows a heavy breath and walks down the stairs, making his way towards Kate. “I don’t. It’s still very vague. The last thing I remember is Tess coming to my room very late to ask me about something, and then nothing. It’s blank.”

“That’s good.”

“Good?”

“Yes!” At least he won’t remember being a jackass. “You weren’t really nice while under the influence, trust me. And I don’t think you’d have dealt the same way if you remembered anyway, so this is for the best.”

For once, he doesn’t give one of his wise lines; he remains silent, as though trying to overcome some inner clash that’s leaving him speechless.

Kate surges forward, hating to see him struggling with words. “You aren’t weak.”

“She played me like a puppet for months.”

“She played everyone from the get-go!” Kate interjects. “Me, mostly. But I can’t go down that road, and neither should you. You can’t do that to yourself, you understand? She was just that good, and that doesn’t necessarily lower your strength in any way, Walter.”

He gives her one of his old serene smiles instead, and it’s safe again. “Fine, but you’re still needed inside.”

“You can’t survive without me,” Kate performs an exaggerated pantomime with her hand before walking past the groaning butler. “By the way, we need to explore the town later,” Kate said. “I’d like for us to talk about everything that has happened. There are certain things that I still want to know from you.”

“With pleasure.”

As though it’s some ridiculous evidence that ghosts exist, the butler is suddenly standing by the entrance, another person between him and the support pole.

“Oh, you’re here.” The Alpha guest says in monotone, not rising from their seat. “Come in closer and take a look at the boy. He needs your help.”

The butler obliges, nudging Kate to move forward after she stood there only eying the interior décor and making comparisons to the Hellsing manor.

The boy, yes, Kate looks at him like she’s checking the price of an item she liked. He’s got a small, round face, almond-shaped eyes and fluffy brown hair. He’s not only adorable, but he is also the one emitting these strong energy waves.

Magic of each user has some sort of a distinct feel to it, like a fingerprint, and that’s how it can be detectable. Kate now knows that the source of the magic she felt earlier is this man, and it is quite abundant which suggests that he’s either powerful and confident or a beginner and clumsy; only one of those would allow his magic to overflow this way.

When Sungjae heard about the Hellsing’s slave witch, he’d pictured a disheveled, gangly old hag who giggles maniacally at her own jokes, her rotten teeth sticking out; but not this, this person, dressed in a gray duffle coat, jeans and black mini boots, is actually a petite young lady with a lush body, shoulder-length chocolate brown hair, small black eyes and plump red lips on pale skin.

As soon as Sungjae’s eyes land on hers, his soles lose sense of the ground and his lungs quiver because, apparently, he’s stopped breathing for a minute there.

He watches how she shuffles closer –closer to where Sir Integra is– and stands there with her eyes on the glossy floor. Sungjae didn’t notice it before but there are deep circles under her tired eyes, and she isn’t smiling. There’s another odd pattern on her neck, two bands circling the column of her neck.

Unable to smother these overwhelming sensations anymore, Sungjae lifts up like he’s been hypnotized, his wide eyes on the young lady’s.

“Let me introduce you,” Sir Integra starts, drowsily, like they don’t care who listens because they know their words can’t be resisted; well, they’re right. “This is Kate. Kate, this is–”

Sungjae croaks out a broken, ‘Sungjae.” Then more confidently, “Go Sungjae-ibnida. Bangawoyo.”

He just can’t wait for the lady to finally look up and notice him. It happens, after a long moment, Kate looks up. Sungjae doesn’t know what he hoped would happen, but he certainly didn’t wish for the girl’s face to crinkle like she’s about to cry.

Kate groans at the sight of what resides behind the man; nauseating and frightening. They were right about it being a possible haunting case. She knows about these types of hauntings, but she’s never encountered one before. The sight alone weakens her for a second, but Sir Integra hand clutches her arm.

Not meaning to, Kate wrenches her hand away like she’s displeased about the touching, which isn’t true; she was startled is all. She tumbles ungracefully but quickly finds her balance. She shuffles closer to her master again and whispers like she’s in agony just looking at Sungjae, and, honestly, he doesn’t know what to do with that.

“He’s being haunted,” She says, with a faint rasp in her silver voice, “Such an unsightly thing.”

“You can actually see it?” Heung su demands with a crease across his forehead.

Kate nods, and her eyes skid to the headless, blood-sputtered thing that’s been making Sungjae’s life miserable. “It’s right there.”

Heung su also lifts up, standing beside Sungjae and before the witch; the rumor that this young lady is very powerful may turn out to be true after all.

The guest Alpha, then, squishes the end of the cigar on an ashtray. “Alright,” She drones. “Give them the answers they need.”

Kate’s nod is awkward as she takes a few steps towards Sungjae, feeling his energy thumping more, before finally stopping when she’s a stride’s length away.

“What is that thing?” Heung su translates for Sungjae, which Kate appreciates.

After a prolonged pause where the girl only stares at where Sungjae knows that thing is skulking, studying its noises and dead eyes, she replies in a calm manner. “It is a lot of things.”

“That’s helpful,” Heung su scoffs despite himself, regaining his composer when the guest Alpha tells him not to underestimate Kate’s powers. “What else, can it be killed?”

“Yes, it can.” She nods.

“How?”

Taking a deep inhale, Kate only speaks again after exhaling. “To start off, that thing is quite harmless. It is a vessel of a dead person. What’s inside of it, however, is called Strach Podajnika, a creature that evokes fear, and feeds on it.”

“That doesn’t add up,” Ina interrupts. “That thing is the body of a woman who was cremated a long time ago.”

Kate shakes her head, awkwardly again like she can’t handle all of this attention. But Kate is only bothered with the amount of energy this man is spewing like it’s no one’s business, causing Kate’s wound to throb for some reason.

“The Strach Podajnika normally doesn’t inhabit the land of the living, stays in limbo, if you will” –Sungjae starts demanding that Heung su translates but the man simply cups his mouth to keep him quiet, and that sort of makes Kate give away a leer that has Heung su and Ina frowning at– “unless it is summoned.”

“Are you saying somebody unleashed this thing?” Ina marvels.

“The Strach Podajnika is like a puppet; it needs a master that can move it,” she said. “The master has to be able to wield a dark type of magic to actually control that thing. Also, this wasn’t a random act of witchery; whoever unleashed that thing meant your mate real harm.”

Sungjae swipes at Heung su’s hand, switching to look at his mate and back at the girl.

“ _ Jeo, joesonghande, mwolago hasyeoss-eoyo? _”

The alpha gives him a silent stare before facing the girl again. “Can we know who this master is, or the puppeteer?”

The clutter falls to silence when Sir Integra motions for the butler to bring another cigar. He does, taking out a golden lighter and lighting the end of the brown cigar; those must be bourgeois, Sungjae assumes.

“Unfortunately, we can’t, not without his help,” Kate says, ushering to Sungjae. He probably is a big dork, but the girl can see as clearly as day that his mate loves him.

“What do you mean?”

At that, Kate nears Sungjae, who stills completely like he’s being pulled underwater, and Kate might have an idea why. “What is it trying to tell you?”

As Heung su translates, Sungjae stays looking taken aback, his wide eyes only staring into hers. The only time he felt the sensation of drowning looking into someone else’s eyes was with Heung su; he’s the only exception and even Sungjae takes pride in that in his stead. But this… _person_ , Sungjae can’t believe she’s making him feel this strange, warm longing, as though he wants to take that step forward and press his lips on hers…

It doesn’t make sense because he’s head over heels for Heung su; he’d die for the man, in a heartbeat.

“ _Nan -naneun moleunda... _” he wets his lips, fighting to keep his breathing regular. “ _Geunyeoneun ulgoissda. _”

Kate lowers her head for a beat, thinking, before looking up again. “Silence is louder than words,” She says, her eyes, which looked tired a while ago, are glinting now, “Nothing is always as it looks, and that walking corpse could actually be reaching out to you. You need to listen.”

He doesn’t care, he knows he should but he doesn’t, not when he can’t feel the ground under his feet, not when he wants to lean in and kiss her on the lips…

“So until you do,” she speaks on, unaware of the thoughts clashing in Sungjae’s head, “until we learn about the one who summoned her, I’m afraid there’s nothing I can do.”

The only reason why this could be happening; the only thing that can explain these intense feelings that are far from arousal but closer to yearning swirling inside Sungjae’s chest is that this girl, this _witch_ , is bewitching him.

Finally settling on the conclusion that, alright, some witches are just as bad as people say, Sungjae recoils rearward and takes cover near Heung su, as though the man’s side will protect him from this witch and her enchanting spells.

Kate finds that interesting. She goes to assure him that she means him no harm, but he only watches with a scowl how the girl’s lips part to say something, but nothing comes out. He watches how she takes in the way Heung su wraps his muscled arm around the small of Sungjae’s back, and how she closes her mouth again and drops her stare.

He’s scared of her?

Look at this however you please, but Kate isn’t the one being haunted by that unsightly pile of meat and blood. Suddenly, she is overcome by this urge to hold her Alpha’s hand just to show the guy that he isn’t privileged.

That would be forcing it, though; Kate wants her Alpha to show those types of affectionate gestures without her forcing anyone into anything.

It needs to happen because it’s the natural course of action, not because Kate wants to compete.

“Dinner will be served shortly.”

The housekeeper’s voice interrupts the intense silence and Kate’s heavy thoughts, and she lingers for Heung su’s orders.

“Excellent!” Heung su gushes, his hand rubbing Sungjae’s upper arm. “Su Yan will take you to your rooms. You can relax and change until she gets you.”

“Park Heung su, I appreciate the hospitality, but it is alright,” the other Alpha says, “I have brought my butler with me. That maid is dismissed.”

It seems the master still struggles with trust issues, especially after what happened with Tess. No one can blame her, really.

That was a bare admission that the guest Alpha is unable to trust Heung su’s servants, but the man doesn’t call the other out on it because he knows the history going on there. They watch as the butler leads the way towards the marble stairs, the Alpha sauntering behind, followed by Kate.

Sungjae eyes their drifting backs, and doesn’t relax until they’re completely gone behind the wall. The maid then walks up to Heung su and tells him that the butler who arrived today has taken over her chores after asking about everything. Heung su still insists she tends to them because, despite the Alpha’s disregard to his authority, he’s still the man of this house.

“Sungjae, what was that?” Ina’s voice is gentle.

He lifts his head off Heung su’s shoulder to look at her, loving how the man is still wrapping his arm around him. “I don’t know,” he says, “I just, I felt weird about that girl.”

“Are you okay, feeling any headaches?” Heung su eyes his own hands for any black veins but finds none.

There’s a lot to his words than he’s letting on; during the part where Sungjae was being introduced to the girl, Heung su could feel odd chemical signals oozing out of his mate. He knows Sungjae loves him to the sky and back, so he trusts him, it’s that witch he can’t trust.

Sungjae proves his point when he encircles his shoulders with trembling hands and buries his face in Heung su’s neck, despite Ina being there and watching, which is a big deal to a prude such as Sungjae; so Heung su knows something is the matter.

He doesn’t talk, and he doesn’t say anything when Heung su nudges him to speak if he’s hurt or what. He only embraces Heung su closer and keeps quiet; where is Tami when you need him, that damn furred rabbit told them he was making himself invisible to better supervise the new guests, but he could have done something.

Ina shares an affirmative with Heung su before leaving them to their privacy.

“Come on, Sungjae, aren’t you going to tell me what’s wrong?” his voice is gentle, like he’s asking a little kid why he bullied the girl he likes.

“Heung su,” the other starts, his voice muffled and strained with emotion. “Heung su, I love you.”

Heung su can’t help the lurch of his heart; Sungjae is adorable tempting him like this. However, there are guests in this house and dinner is going to be served soon, what is Sungjae talking about?


	23. Austria's Wraith - Part 4

  


“It’s this way.” Walter motions with his practiced hand, indicating an open door which he ushers Kate to enter. “Miss Kate.”

Said girl goes in, and, since the evening’s been pastel, it feels as though she’s entering a cotton candy factory. There’s an open-frame bed with beige sheets and covers that bring out the color of the pale purple walls, a single bedside table and a lamp. There’s a fluffy carpet on the floor, sprinkled with beige and purple patterns, and those match the design of the paintings on the wall. There is no window, but the balcony glass door makes up for it.

“Your room is right next to Kate’s.”

“Walter,” the master starts, “I don’t remember saying anything about separate rooms.”

Kate perks up at that, reeling to watch how it’ll unfold.

“My apologies, ma’am,” he says, ducking his head to express his sorry. “I’ll make the required preparations right away.”

Since she’s feeling playful still, Kate prompts up. “That won’t be necessary.” The other two snap their eyes at her, but Kate doesn’t recoil. “I mean your room is next to mine, so there’s no need to trouble Walter with unnecessary rearrangements.”

Sir Integra’s stare, then, is long and deep.

“Besides, I’m sure everyone is still tired from the flight. I don’t see why you and I have to share this room.” Kate knows she’s playing with fire, but that’s what makes it more exciting.

“You can use the adjacent room for tonight,” Walter tells his master. “Tomorrow, I’ll bring your stuff here.”

With her playful eyes on her master’s, Kate smirks. “Sounds good to me.”

  


As they move out to the patio outside to get some air while the maids prepare the table, Sungjae twines his fingers together and hooks them behind his head as he stands beside Heung su, watching their surroundings being swallowed in dusky hues. He was too embarrassed to word it out, but he’s happy Heung su understood his struggle. He doesn’t know if the guest Alpha would hold a grudge now after that, or after what he’s about to tell Heung su considering the fact that he/she might be eavesdropping, but he isn’t here to please anyone.

“That witch,” Sungjae starts, the calm nuance of his voice somehow consoles Heung su, “I don’t know what it was, but I felt drawn to her. It wasn’t like, admiration, or infatuation, it was just so weird, like I couldn’t control it.”

Heung su only remains there, hands in pockets, gazing heavenward.

“There’s something strange about her.” He blows a sigh. “It creeped me out, dude.”

“I’m not really surprised,” He tells him.

“By the way, Heung su,” Sungjae prompts, ignoring yet another wail from that headless woman. “What’s that Alpha’s deal, and what’s up with that face?”

“She was in an accident,” Heung su said simply. “It’s none of our business.”

“You say that but them being here and me getting all weird after meeting the witch makes it very much our business.”

“They’re here to help us,” Heung su insists. “If the witch becomes trouble, Sir Integra will take care of it,” He said, and quickly adds “You need to do as she said, though. You need to try and figure out what that thing is trying to tell you.”

Sungjae pouts “Easier said than done.”

“The sooner the better, Sungjae.” He crinkles his face. “You remember what the witch said, that thing is feeding on you.”

“On my fear” Sungjae corrects. The other man rolls his eyes, and Sungjae scoffs. “I’ll try, alright?”

After a prolonged pause where Sungjae only contemplates, Heung su turns towards the house, and pulls Sungjae with him.

  


Sir Integra left with a huff; she hated to be separated from Kate but the girl doesn’t have six months’ worth of separation anxiety to worry about, which is why this is very fun for her.

More importantly, why did her wound react again today?

Go Sungjae isn’t a witch, or a warlock. He isn’t evil and nor is his magic. His magic print feels similar to that of a Mage’s, so Kate knows, for a fact, that he also comes from a long lineage of Mages. Not only that, but since Kate feels it in abundance, it means he is a vessel to the very first Imugi, known as Rozever.

Finally, it feels like she’s found someone who’ll understand her; she doubts he’s skillful. He is definitely a new bloomer, but strong nonetheless.

He is so strong that his energy is affecting hers, reviving it like a phoenix from its ashes.

With longing simmering beneath the surface of her skin, Kate bares herself of all her clothing, hoping that would help her own magic to become visible after days of remaining dormant. The outside calls out to her; that’s where the energy is thumbing at its loudest, and, so, she slides into the balcony, her hair moving in tandem with the blowing wind.

  


With both Alphas taking the two ends of the table, Sungjae and Ina sit each at Heung su’s side, while the chairs at Sir Integra’s side remain empty, only the butler standing at her right.

Sungjae searches for the witch, but what he finds is a little disappointment. “Where is Kate?”

The English Alpha replies in monotone, again. “In her room.”

Looking between the two Alphas, Sungjae asks, “Is it alright if I go to bring her down?”

Following their silence, Sungjae climbs the stairs to the room the witch is occupying, and finds the door left a little ajar. He doesn’t know why but he tiptoes closer, and, without really meaning to, he listens in, catching the low, eerie humming coming from inside the room. He peeks through the gap between the door and the frame, his whisky brown eyes blow away at the sight inside.

The witch is in the balcony, which is located across the door with its glass doors closed. He gapes at the sparkling specks dancing around her bare body, whirling smoothly to the same rhythm of the wave of her brown hair. She throws her arms up in the air and her head to the back, as though letting the forceful currents of the wind do as they please with her.

The glass gradually becomes dotted with droplets of rain, and Sungjae finds that he’s inched closer to better watch the brilliant magic handling. In the dim illumination, he catches sight of scars on that bare, pale skin, welting the narrow back all over. He skids even closer, lured in by the pull of her beautiful spell, wanting to touch those twinkling specks.

The scars on the witch’s back become clearer; they’re whip welts. Sungjae reaches out with his hand, trembling fingertips tapping the glass and it’s enough to make the witch’s performance come to a sudden stop. She reels around, panicked, and her eyes land on Sungjae’s.

Sungjae musters enough courage to slide the glass door open, meeting a relentless whoosh of wind that makes him step out into the balcony and shut the door. He realizes he is by himself with a witch that has no qualms with bewitching him in front of his mate, and he stills completely. He eyes her narrow shoulders, slightly veiled by wet locks of brown hair, expanding from a slender neck that is wrapped by that black band-like thing. His stare goes lower, to the small breasts with their nipples perked, and the soft belly, marred by the angry-looking puncture wound that is slowly healing, and, then, he sees it, a spiral mark on her forearm that looks similar to his…

Kate knows that the male Mage is feeling their connection, so her panic from before is now being replaced by a sense of comfort that leads her to reinforce her spell.

Just as it stopped, her performance recommences, even more brilliant and more beautiful than before. She ushers to the sky with her palmed out hand, a surge of shining energy blazes from her skin, spreading out to consume Sungjae as well. The man remains motionless as he allows the shiny dots and slivers to surround his body.

The witch’s hair and his whir with the wind, and Sungjae feels as though the swirling locks are luring him closer, so he does, like he’s in a drunken stupor, he gets closer, leaning forward and brushing his lips over the witch’s, barely touching. He feels how she holds off all movements again, stiffened by what he’s just done; it frightens him. He recoils again, horrified wide eyes glowering at the witch for seducing him.

So this magic practitioner, despite his powers, he has no idea what he is doing. Kate would have found it amusing if it weren’t for those scared eyes of his.

He attempts to open the door but the witch’s hand holds his, she is only worried he might misinterpret what just happened since he himself doesn’t know that he’s unknowingly transferred some of his energy to Kate, but she causes a rush to come over him; he remembers he doesn’t love anyone more than he does Heung su, so he panics more and swipes at the door.

“Don’t tell anyone!” Only because she’s worried how he’d phrase today’s occurrence to her master and add to the pre-existing tension.

He hears the witch’s plea, but he doesn’t care.

“ _Please_!”

Sungjae finally manages to glide the door open, and he sprints out of the room, yelling, ' _ jeonyeogsigsaga junbidoeeoss-eoyo _', over his shoulder. He leaves without caring if it offended the girl, because he isn’t getting seduced by a witch like her.

After the clatter, Kate grins; how humiliating of her for having thought Alina kissed her for other reasons than exchanging energy with her. The only difference is that the Strega knew what she was doing.

As he bounds down the stairs, the images start to flicker in Sungjae’s head; the scars, the fact he almost kissed a witch and the mark on that slender arm…

Who is this witch, really, and what is her purpose?

It isn’t right for a normal person to have scars like that, especially if they’re considered very powerful. Did Tami see that, too? Sungjae doesn’t understand how one can get whip welts all over their back, unless there’s an almost too unbelievable story behind it.

What about that nasty wound on her abdomen?

He wants to know. He needs to know who this witch is, and why she has the mark he does.

  


  


After a little while, Sungjae watches from his seat as the witch enters the dining-room, and she finds the four people already having dessert, which means she missed dinner. It’s fine; earlier, she told Walter she didn’t feel hungry anyway. He takes in her deep scowl that can’t match his, and how she walks up to her master with slouched shoulders.

Sir Integra, still bothered by having to sleep in separate rooms, doesn’t look away from Heung su as she flicks her gloved hand, ushering to somewhere at her right, and Kate follows it, finding that it’s the direction where the TV is. She curls her lips to keep from annoying her master and heads towards the sofa, dropping on it after turning the TV on and muting down the volume.

Sungjae theorizes that maybe Sir Integra is punishing Kate for missing on dinner, which is a little too harsh seeing that they are both guests here. So, despite himself, he leaves the table and aims for the kitchen, then finally comes back with some leftovers for the girl.

The brunette Mage gets distracted by Sungjae as the man perches on the coffee table, sitting between her and the TV, which is alright since she doesn’t even understand what is going on in the drama playing on the animated box anyway.

He pushes a plate lined with steak to the girl’s chest, and says.

“ _ Meog-eo. _”

The girl looks up at him with pure surprise in her eyes, like she already decided she was spending the night with an empty stomach, and never expected a meal to descend upon her until the next day.

This might turn out to be different than all the other cases they’ve worked so far. Obviously, this man, for whatever reason, believes Kate is being maltreated? For someone who’s terrified of Kate, Sungjae sure looks comfortable playing mother-hen; you know who else is going to be maddened by this?

Yes, it is Sir Integra Hellsing.

Kate’s noticed this before, but the moment right now only stresses her findings. She knows that the master tolerates female company around Kate, but when it comes to male company, the master’s distress becomes visible, palpable, and, sometimes, unforgiving.

It’s a shame, really, because Kate started this game on the premise of finishing it, so she can’t tell Sungjae to scram; sadly, she has to use him.

Sungjae places the dish on her lap for she is hesitant about taking it, and retreats because the flashes of him almost kissing her are starting to bubble up. However, he doesn’t count on what he sees next when he whips his face towards the table.

He finds Sir Integra’s keen eyes on Kate’s. Curiosity takes no time consuming him, so he checks if Kate also caught that, but he finds the girl smirking at her master, the tip of her wet tongue sneaking out to tap at her eyetooth, before finally looking away.

Wait, wait a second.

What is the meaning of _that_!

Sir Integra also looks away, continuing to smoke the cigar like she didn’t eye-fuck her slave witch just a second ago. 

Kate eats her food.

  


Sungjae lies there encircled in Heung su’s arms until the man falls asleep, and he’ll be lying if he said he didn’t help with the man’s little catnap there. It’s not his fault, alright. He needs to investigate that witch, and he knows Heung su and his virtue will be in the way. So as the man dreams, Sungjae sneaks out of the room like a rat. Afraid the Alpha or her butler would catch his scent, he casts the same spell he did while training in the woods that time, and masks his scent and the sound of his heartbeats to pass through undetected. And barefooted, he heads towards the room the witch is using, finding the door open.

She is arguing that sleeping too much on the jet is the cause of her insomnia now, but, deep down, Kate knows it’s difficult for her to fall asleep when her mate is sleeping in an entirely different room than hers.

But, be that as it may, she will never admit how lonely it is out loud.

Walking in, Sungjae finds the witch on the bed, clothed, reclining on her side. He doesn’t find the Alpha so that’s a little relieving. He admits this is a new level of low, even for him, spying on people in their beds. He can’t help it, though. This witch could harm him, and he needs to know everything that needs to be known about her; he so readily let her in without knowing the first thing about her. That’s suicidal.

She is tracing circular patterns on the quilt with her finger, her other arm folded under the side of her head. She almost passes as normal, but nobody saw what she did in that balcony; and that is far from normal.

Sungjae seizes her distraction to look around for anything suspicious –more suspicious than the witch– when, long and behold, the Alpha, with her intense presence, walks in with heavy steps filling the room.

Sungjae dreads the outcome because the door to his only way out is getting closed. He knows his magic is protecting him by keeping him invisible and unscented, so the potential mayhem of the two Alphas having a fight to the death because Sungjae was playing peeping Tom is now being avoided.

Besides, even Tami is doing it.

Kate sits upright, her hair spilling on one side of her shoulders. “Sir, what’re you doing here?”

The Alpha refuses to explain, only making her way towards the bathroom.

This is confusing even to Sungjae. He knows they aren’t supposed to be sharing this room, so he doesn’t understand what the Alpha is doing here.

The brunette swings her legs outside the bed, skidding towards the bathroom just in time to stop the Alpha from closing it.

“I said, what are you doing here?”

“Taking a shower?” She responds in a matter-of-fact tone, removing her fur-collar coat to fling it over the nearest chair.

“There’s a bathroom in your room.”

The Alpha shrugs. “Small tub.”

Sungjae spots the witch’s cheeks flushing; he doesn’t know whether that’s rage or what. One thing for certain, Kate doesn’t look entertained.

The witch lowers her head. “You need to go back to your room.”

“No, I don’t.”

With fuddled eyes, Kate gapes at her master. “Excuse me?”

With deep-set eyes, the master walks up to Kate, and as the other two anticipate what is about to happen, all Sir Integra does is lean forward to Kate’s neck, and maintains that posture until Sungjae begins to wonder if she’s whispering something into the girl’s ear, but he misses the way Kate’s whole body goes slack at the feeling of hot lips mouthing her neckline.

“I don’t need to go back to my room, Kate.” The master pulls away and unbuttons her dress shirt. “And I don’t even have to play this game of yours.”

“There is no game.”

“So you pop out six months later, following me like a puppy and then suddenly deciding you don’t even want to have anything to do with me because, what, you suddenly had a change of heart?”

That was quick; Kate never expected the master to read between the lines but Kate’s little game has been busted a little too soon. Still, this doesn’t change her prerogative. She wants things to be different –better between them.

She lifts her chin, challenging. “You have a problem with it?”

While Sungjae frowns at the exchange; Sir Integra adds to the pile of clothing on the nearby chair, and now moves on to unbuckle her belt.

She scoffs. “You didn’t have a change of heart.”

“Maybe I want to.”

The master shakes her head. “You don’t.”

“How do you know that?” Kate dares. “You haven’t seen me in six months!”

The male Mage takes a moment to register that; he only heard stories about the slave witch disguising herself to ambush the master, turning her into one of the things she hunts, and then leading an army into the Hellsing grounds, before finally disappearing.

“Do you want to sit down and discuss the space-time continuum, Kate, because, obviously, you’re still taking me for a fool.” The Alpha seethes. “How about you show some damn guts and confront me about what’s really going on?”

Sungjae can clearly see Kate nibbling on her bottom lip; he never expected to get caught smack in the middle of their quarrel, but this is inspiring new scenarios, different from anything he’s heard. Adding to that, the full moon is big and high in the sky tonight, it caused Heung Su to go freaky in bed and is now causing the Alpha’s eye to flash red; Kate angering her more isn’t helping.

“That’s rich,” Kate can’t help but scoff. She doesn’t explain why that is so, though.

After a tense beat of silence, the Alpha lets her trousers fall. She remains in her boxers only, prompting Sungjae to stare, at the _bulge_ , and cause himself more than just culture shock.

“If you’ve got nothing to add,” the master drones. “I’d like to take that shower now.”

As Kate and Sungjae watch the Alpha enter the bathroom, the girl stands there chewing the inside of her bottom lip, frustration clear on her face.

When he slid into this room, Sungjae thought he’d taken all necessary caution, but when the headless woman wails, that’s when he knows he messed up as Kate snaps her heated glare at the thing, causing the male Mage to go stiff with worry.

Kate looks about the room, as though searching for the intruder to which the headless woman attached herself to, but to no avail. Then, as a last, desperate resort, Kate grabs her pillow and vacates the room…

  


*******

  


Realizing that the guest Alpha’s personal butler isn’t twirling anywhere nearby like a possessed noodle, Sungjae paces outside Sir Integra’s room since the latter left early this morning to go with Heung Su to some site the man said he was planning to build something on; the guy is always building something somewhere, maybe Sungjae should buy him small figures to play with.

He doesn’t know if the two spent the night together, but he’s noting it to ask his lover later.

Sungjae grinds to a halt when the door suddenly opens, and Kate peeks out like she’s about to ask someone to bring her a towel. He stands there with his eyes on the girl’s, the moment they share eye contact, the ground vanishes from under Sungjae’s feet again. He knows it has something to do with her being a witch, that’s why he can’t help it, and he already told Heung Su, but that still doesn’t make it any less creepy.

He couldn’t tell Heung su about Kate and the English Alpha and their quarrel last night, thinking that he needed to understand what’s happening first.

There’s a dark scent of flowers, jasmine, and lilac most like it, fused together, it starts soaring around the moment Kate shows herself.

“H-hi,” He says, and adds in broken English. “Good morning.”

Kate’s arched brows fall and she finally smiles, now edging the door wider to get out. “Good morning to you, too.”

Alright, so she can actually hold a conversation; he also bets that if it wasn’t for the language barrier, he’d be talking about Darwinism's authenticity with her. Probably. Unless this is also part of her training as a slave and she’s just humoring him.

Sungjae flicks his eyes to her clothes; she’s dressed in the same coat and mini boots, hiding her petite body and every scar etched into it; his heart skips a beat at the scene he witnessed inside that room last night with nobody knowing. He realizes he’s staring, which is rude, and then looks back at her face.

“ _ “Achimbab.” _”

Kate knows he was the rat spying on them yesterday, but a part of her excuses his action merely because she knows she’d have done the same had the roles been reversed.

She nods with her lip pressed, looking like she’s ready to follow any commands despite the fact she’s against it, closing the door and ushering for him to lead the way.

Sungjae does, he walks ahead with her following behind silently almost to the point of making no sounds and that’s humanly impossible. He remembers she isn’t human. He leads her to the same table where they had dinner the night before, and he ushers her to take a seat while the maid brings in food. He notices that she didn’t take any of the two ends of the table, and he interprets that as a sort of respect for authority, leading him to decide to sit next to her instead; besides, he can get closer that way without her suspecting anything.

As they sit there in quiet with Sungjae fervently glancing over at her, envisioning everything he saw happen in that bedroom last night and the meaning behind it, the front door opens and not just two, but several sets of footsteps fill the place. Sungjae guesses it must be Heung Su and Sir Integra with the butler, but he shouldn’t have set the bar too high believing the pack would stay put.

Sungjae perks up with his long neck craning like a chicken and Kate looks at where he’s staring when a brunette, a short-haired girl and a slim guy show up, stumbling in with their eyes searching the place.

“Do I even want to know?”

The three teenagers approach the table, standing at its end with their guards up. They heard the rumors about the Alpha, but there’s really no need for them to go out of their way to look stupid, Sungjae is unharmed, can’t they see?

Kate watches them converse among each other.

“We were getting anxious, so we decided to pay you a visit.” Hakyung, the brunette, beams, and that’s when you know she’s lying through her teeth.

“What about school?”

“I’m very smart,” Hakyung justifies.

Sungjae acknowledges that with his quirked lips, and then looks at Yikyung, the slim guy, to give his excuse.

“I’m very dumb,” He says on a slight shrug, and, although Sungjae feels insulted in his stead, he knows the guy is saying the truth.

Now, Sungjae flings his eyes at Hyesun, the short-haired girl. “What about you, young lady, why did you not attend school?”

Hyesun’s eyes are still not smiling, and it’s been a couple of days now since that time. She folds her arms over her chest and looks up at him. “I’ve got all sorts of reasons, I was worried about you, and I don’t feel like going to school.”

“Oh, how luxurious!” Sungjae barks. “So you just decide not to go? You know that Heung Su went through trouble to get you enrolled.”

“I don’t feel like going.” She shrugs the same way Yikyung did just now and that scares him even more for her future.

“Oh,” Hakyung interrupts their argument. “Who’s that girl beside you?”

That actually makes Sungjae lose all the chiding phrases he wanted to expel on his surrogate daughter, and he feels a sense of urgency when they start to notice the witch, as though fearing them getting close to her despite the fact he’s doing the same thing.

  


Yikyung had been listening to his girlfriend moaning about her asymmetric brows nonstop, and the only reason why he bore with it was because of the sleepover he was promised at the end of this week. Actually, Kye Nari, his girl, was just so pretty speaking her mind like that, and it’s not like he had anything special to add. She stopped, however, when Jihun and Jungho, his other pack mates, walked into the classroom and motioned to Yikyung to step out for a little talk.

In the hallway, Yikyung’s smiley face morphed into worry when he saw Jungho chew on his small lip; he’s always known that as a sign of trouble. “What’s wrong?”

“Hakyung”

At the word, Yikyung took a fleeting glance around and noticed that the straight-A girl was nowhere to be seen, nor Hyesun for that matter but he’d known about it the day before.

“What’s wrong, where’s she?”

“She just called, said she was heading to the house at the preserve.” Jihun winced.

“What!” Yikyung yelped and the other two had to clasp their hands on his mouth and drag him to a corner to avoid prying students. “What is she thinking? Is she thinking at all?”

“Anyway,” Jungho elaborated. “She said she needed one of us to accompany her, but Jihun here has been asked by the homeroom teacher to attend the assembly and I have school duty. You’re the only one who can go.”

“No way, dude!” Yikyung’s owl eyes boggled. “Do you have any idea what would happen to us if our alpha finds out!”

“Hakyung promised to take full responsibility if you get busted.” Jihun implored. “Besides, aren’t you curious about this new Alpha and her slave witch?”

Chewing on the inside of his cheek, Yikyung finally surrendered to his curiosity.

Besides, math was next and he hated it.

  


To be honest, things weren’t going well for Hyesun. Soon after Sungjae and Heung Su left for their Honeymoon in the Land of Horrors, Minki, Sungjae’s best friend, took Hyesun to a fancy restaurant, and then to a bowling alley and the movies before finally accompanying her to Sungjae’s apartment instead of his. He looked apologetically at her, and that was when she knew something bothered the retired hunter. They had been seeing each other for a while, and he always looked reluctant, but he never acted upon it, until that night.

Minki started off his speech with, “did you have fun today?’ and while Hyesun couldn’t find a negative to latch on just to be a little naughty spiting him, he sighed in relief and said that the days ahead would be the same if they remained friends.

If there’s something Hyesun learned from Sungjae is that the guy doesn’t surrender quickly, and if she was being given a talk like that, she wasn’t giving up quickly either. She demanded Minki tell her what was going on.

“There’s someone else,” Minki said, and he looked so confident about it that Hyesun envied that someone before even knowing who they were. “So I don’t want to be a player. You’re fun and too mature for your age, but, I’m sorry, I don’t think it’s wise to keep leading you on.”

Minki is, all in all, a great guy. He is a little sensitive, yes, but he is kind and smart. He always looks after the people he cares about, and it’s that side of him that drew Hyesun to the man despite their age difference.

Hyesun, then, asked Minki to respect her feelings and that he tell her who the other person was. Against his better judgment, Minki did. Hyesun knew that even if she wanted to fight over him, the other woman would win because she was simply more beautiful, more fun to be with and stronger. Hyesun ruled out her defeat before the idea of fighting even crossed her mind. She listened as Minki told her that, even way before he met Hyesun, and before even Sungjae’s seal was deactivated, he and Ina had a thing.

Hyesun had been feeling down since then, and she just wasn’t ready to go back to school yet, and she didn’t care. However, she received a distraction when Yikyung called her earlier and told her to head to the house at the preserve, and that he and Hakyung would meet with her there.

  


Hakyung’s been losing good quality sleep over this; thinking of this new Alpha and the rumors surrounding her. She’s been itching to defy Heung Su’s orders to stay away despite the fact that’s something she never endeavored to do.

By taking a sick leave, Hakyung managed to get herself a free pass, but deciding that she couldn’t do this alone, she contacted the idiotic trio and asked to send only one of them so they wouldn’t draw unwanted attention. Yikyung was the one who showed up to accompany her.

“You know we’re challenging our Alpha by going against his orders, don’t you?” Yikyung asked as they marched together towards the house at the preserve.

Hakyung chose to ignore him. “I never thought there would be someone whose spells are stronger than Sungjae’s,” she said instead, “or a pack more powerful than us.”

“I have to agree with you on that one,” Yikyung said. “It’s been driving me nuts.”

“Great,” Hakyung huffed. “Now shut up and walk.”

“Do you remember what Ina said about this Alpha?”

“I refuse to believe in that story,” She told him. “If they’re as strong as they said, then why is their Alpha resorting to using a slave witch; something smells funny.”

“Yes, I had red beans for breakfast.”

She rolled her eyes at him, before coming to a sudden halt. “Wait” -she held out a hand- “call up Hyesun; she told me last night she wasn’t coming to school today. We’d use her company.”

  


Sungjae looks from the three of them and back at Kate, and then at the others again. “This is Kate, the witch,” He says, and takes in her startled eyes. “Pack,” he tells her, and motions at each one of them. “Hyesun, Yikyung and Hakyung.”

Kate can feel their energy; two of them are werewolves but the one with the short hair isn’t.

Prompted at the use of the word ‘witch’, the three pack members close in on the lady, inspecting all of her like she’s just grown a second head.

Kate was finding their antics amusing up until the point they started studying her from head to toe; she knows a girl like her swathed in rumors and mystery would rouse curiosity, but being the center of attention has never really been her ambition.

“Well, can’t you act more normal?” Sungjae berates. “You’re scaring her.”

“ _We_ are scaring her?” Yikyung huffs. “Dude, she’s a witch.”

“You guys aren’t baby-faced either when you turn.” Sungjae counters.

“Is it just me or are you defending her?” Hakyung squints up at him skeptically.

“I’m not.” He stutters.

“Are too.” Hyesun drawls from her perch.

“Well, maybe because I’d freak out too if people looked at me the same way you are looking at her.”

She understands what Sungjae is trying to do, and it is the one thing her dear master warned against this early morning; don’t get too involved with the boy. Despite her fun game and its rules, it isn’t in Kate’s plan to drive the master mad with her disobedience.

She cares about Sir Integra and she wants the master to continue caring for her.

As though prompted by something along the lines, the witch scrambles up to her feet and shakes her head, action vehement, and it vaguely reminds Sungjae of a pouting kid refusing to budge from his squat at the arcade because he wants something so bad.

“I’m not allowed to.” She gasps. “My master will be livid.”

Unbidden, the images of Kate and Sir Integra quarreling crash with Sungjae’s thoughts again, and it allows his rage to overflow. She continues to shake her head, and he finds himself rushing to soothe her.

“No, no!” He said. “It’s okay. Pack is friend.”

She shakes her head more adamantly now. “It’s against her orders,” Saying so, she attempts to worm her way between Sungjae and her chair to flee, but Sungjae’s hands on her shoulders hold her in place.

“Please,” he pleads with his eyes on hers, and he fights that novel pull with all his might before he could kiss her and cause them all an incurable trauma. “Don’t go.”

Amidst the silence where the pack only stares at them staring into each other’s eyes, Sungjae’s phone starts to ring. As much as he hates to look away because, God, looking into Kate’s eyes is giving him a sense of comfort and relaxation, he realizes he has to.

“Minki, hey, yes?” He clears his throat and rests a hand on his hip, ignoring how Hyesun flinched and paled at the side upon hearing the name. “Alright, I’ll see what I can do.” Hanging up now, he faces his pack. “Anyone of you morons knows how to English?” Hakyung lifts her head and Sungjae gives a thin smile. “Of course.”

Why did he expect less of a straight-A student?

He adds, “Translate this: we’re going to help a friend capture a bad spirit, you should come too. It might be fun.”

Listening to Hakyung translating all the parts Kate misunderstood, Kate’s frown slowly starts to ease.

“A bad spirit?” She inquires.

“Yes.” Sungjae nods. “My friend just called to ask for our help, care to join? I’ll explain everything to Sir Integra and Heung Su when they arrive, so rest assured.”

  


Kate eventually agreed to Sungjae’s request despite her fidgeting and lip biting which he now knows is the sign of her hesitance, and didn’t decline when he steered her and everyone else outside.

Sungjae narrows his eyes at their surroundings; the only time he used this mansion was when he and Heung Su mated for the first time, the rest of it took place in an unreal place called a vision. He tries to estimate the amount of time it would take to move from here to downtown with obviously no vehicle in sight. The chatter of the pack in the background bubbles up into his earshot the moment his eyes catch sight of that headless woman haunting him, and he shudders and looks away.

“Okay, guys” he starts, “I don’t think I ever zapped four people with me, so, just to be on the safe side, I’ll take only Kate.”

“What!” Hakyung is all flailing and glaring at him. “Why is she an exception?”

“We all get a ride or nobody leaves.” Yikyung asserts her point. All it manages is make him look like an amateur bank robber pointing his gun at the hostage the SWAT team is going to rescue without fail.

Sungjae crinkles his nose. “I’m not a pony.” He shakes his head with his lips doing that smacking thing. “If I zap all of you at once, two things could happen,” he says, doing a V with index and middle finger. “Either I manage to transport half of your bodies while the other halves get zapped somewhere across the earth, or I do manage to move you all but I lose all my strength. And you aren’t exactly skinny” –he darts his eyes towards Hakyung pretty quickly– “no offense.”

Said girl gasps in shock.

Hyesun crosses her arms against the wind. “That’s very optimistic of you,” she scoffs. “So how do you suggest we return back to town?”

He gives her a shit-eating grin showing way too many teeth. “Well, you should have thought of that before you skipped school,” he counters. “Why do I have to dwell on your problems?”

Kate isn’t good at Korean, but she understands enough to know that the pack is in a bit of a pickle; she’d like to help ease things up a little.

Sungjae feels a tap on his arm, and he pivots his body to the source, finding the witch in the process of returning her delicate hand to her side.

“What is it?” He asks with his voice gentle.

Hakyung gives another loud intake of air, bespeaking yet another shock. She looks over at her pack mates and frowns. “He just told us off and now he’s mother-henning that damn witch?”

“You’ve got to sort out your priorities, man,” Yikyung tells Sungjae. “Park Heung Su isn’t going to be pleased about this.”

Sungjae hums impatiently. “Well, I don’t care about his righteous bull. I’m doing whatever the heck I want.”

“I’m sorry,” Hakyung says in mock awe. “Have you not learned a thing from that Chupacabra little fiasco of yours?”

“Sungjae,” Hyesun scowls up at him. “You know that she’s a slave for a reason, right? She isn’t innocent. Witches are sly beings; they can charm you to siding with them.”

He straightens up and nibbles at his bottom lip for a pause. “I know,” he admits, “You were a sly being too but it all turned out fine, didn’t it?” He looks at all of them. “I was rumored to be a witch; I almost died inhaling cyanide, do you have any idea how bad that shit tastes like? But it still somehow worked out eventually. Don’t you guys think we ought to learn from that also, and start wanting to make things alright for other people than believing some stupid rumor and making their life more miserable!”

They meet his hard gaze head-on, and then Yikyung, out of the two, steps out in clear defiance.

“This witch murdered innocent people, Sungjae, and _that_ is a fact.”

Kate knows they’re arguing about her, the majority not for her favor.

The witch speaks suddenly. “I can’t understand most of it,” she starts, “but, if you’d allow me, I can perform a spell which will help me and you alike.” Kate looks at Hakyung, and they interpret that as her request for the girl to translate, which Hakyung does.

Sungjae knows, god damn, he knows that Kate is rumored to be dangerous, and the long standing fact is that she is a slave; you don’t just turn into that overnight. But he can’t convince himself to refuse her, maybe because he is charmed. He doesn’t even know if it’s wise to allow her to cast any spells when he doesn’t know anything about her, except she might also provide services as a sex slave. Although, Sungjae can branch out on that one only since he saw a couple of things that made him question that theory.

There’s some mad sexual tension between the English Alpha and Kate that you can almost taste.

The witch does cast her spell anyway, and the sensation is a bit off-putting at first because of the tightness that seizes them in a clutch. The sensation ebbs and the four of them stare at each other to locate any signs of discomfort, they don’t find any.

“I hope it worked,” The witch says, and, surprisingly, everyone understands her perfectly.

Yikyung’s face brightens up the most. “Does this mean I can speak–” he slumps. “I’m still speaking Korean.”

“No cheating at school even if there’s magic involved.” Sungjae teases, slowly figuring out how this spell works. “But you can understand perfectly and that’s convenient.”

“I’m sorry,” the witch says, “I’m not allowed to use powerful spells on civilians.” It’s enough that it worked at all; Kate was getting worried after everything that happened with Lucy in Germany.

“It’s alright.” He smiles at her. “But you have to show me that trick.”

“Hey,” Hakyung twists her mouth at Kate, as though she’s analogizing what’s just transpired with the witch with the other things she has seen in her life. “Do you know how to zap all of us to a different location?”

“I do.”

The rest prompts up, smiling agreeably to each other.

“Great,” Hyesun gushes. “Then do it.”

“I can’t.”

All the smiling faces fall, and turn grim and accusatory.

“Not knowing the location you want to zap yourself to can be dangerous,” Sungjae elaborates in Kate’s stead, because he had a very urging inkling that if he didn’t, the pack would have either given one lathing reproof to the clueless witch, or forced her and, honestly, although it sounds that far-fetched, he knows the pack can be irritatingly volatile so something like physical violence might occur. “You can’t mess with things like that; magic isn’t a game.”

Yikyung’s defiant chest deflated. “What now, we walk?”

“You can lurch your furry ass out of these woods on four,” Sungjae drones. “You do that to go to school anyway.”

The two of them glare at each other.

“We’re already wasting time dawdling here,” Hyesun tries to be the sound of reason, something she picked up from Minki. “Let’s get moving.”

Just as Sungjae allows the proposal to sink home, he feels that earlier tap again and he faces Kate, smiling at her with grave kindness. “Yeah?”

“I can lend you my powers, and you can zap us to wherever you wish.” Her brown eyes shimmer with a glint, and for a moment, her lips part into a small smile and that has to be the first time that the smile is actually aimed at him and not Sir Integra.

Alright, it might sound like he’s jealous; he does get a little frustrated when he thinks back on what happened with the Alpha, but that doesn’t mean he harbors any hostile feelings towards her. Not really.

“Are you sure, we can always just run.”

“Hey,” Yikyung mewls. “Mom just washed these for me” –he motions at his school uniform– “and she told me to stay clean; running on wet dirt is not exactly staying clean.”

The other three, who are familiar with him, roll their eyes, and Hakyung’s hairy eye-roll is almost the loudest.

“If you kept your idiotic mug back at school, I wouldn’t have to be doing extra homework. Now stop whining, and, just, shut up.” Sungjae faces the witch now. “Alright, let’s do this.”

Sungjae shepherds them into a circle, and, like some preschool teacher, tells them to hold hands as though they’re going for a skipping game in the playground. Yikyung refuses to hold hands with the witch, withdrawal and maybe slight fear in his demeanor and, instead of giving him a dash of admonishment for the childish way he’s just acted, Sungjae finds himself studying the blank look on the witch’s face and actually anticipating her reaction, sadness or shock; he gets taken aback when no such thing was forthcoming.

At this point, Kate is surprised Sungjae is tolerating her presence; the rumors of her being an evil witch have rippled throughout the years and become deeply-rooted in people. She rarely finds allies.

Hakyung eventually trades places with her pack mate, and she links her sweaty palm to Kate’s small hand. She wasn’t expecting it but the witch’s hand is almost icy-cold. That warrants arching eyebrows from the other two; Sungjae isn’t even paying attention because he looks like he’s being taken over by delightful waves of power.

He is, indeed, getting washed by tides of a warm-feeling power.

  


Sungjae doesn’t understand how he masterfully pulled it off in the first try; they’re obviously downtown, in the middle of the street, but he trusts that, thanks to whatever Kate just did, his skill got stronger, which is a good idea to start this morning with.

“Yo!”

Sungjae looks around, as does the rest, and finds his best friend, dressed in a black mid-thigh coat and jeans, jogging towards them with a beam, but the beam soon falls when he finds the pack as well.

“Shouldn’t you guys be at school?”

Sungjae throws his hands in the air. “That’s what I said!”

“You aren’t our Alpha.” Hakyung flips her hair and looks away from Minki, but she doesn’t count on his threat to tattle to her Alpha, and her eyes immediately widen with horror. “You aren’t really serious, are you?”

With a smug face, Minki looks away from her and eyes the new person who is looking around at the buildings and the passersby.

“Hi,” he says on a courtly bow after she returned her attention to him. “I’m Kim Minki. You must be Kate.”

Kate knows this one; she’s seen him before.

“Wait,” Sungjae gestures at his friend and Kate. “How do you know her?”

The other gives one of his too many a serene smile before letting out a sigh. “Alright, so I called because I’m having a little trouble locating this spirit,” Saying so, he takes out his EMF from his pocket. “I did a little scanning back at your school, but something was odd, to say the least.”

“Odd?” Hyesun demands, “What do you mean by that?”

He meets her eyes with his own, looking stern. He turns the little device on and it chirps loudly while the needle on the frequency screen wavers sideways. “I’m getting readings from everywhere.” He gives his surroundings a quick once-over. “It shouldn’t be possible.”

“What makes you think we can help, I mean, you saw us, we didn’t come out of the GhostBusters’ truck,” Sungjae said. “Besides, did you try changing your EFM, it could be busted.”

Minki is already shaking his head with a solemn look overspreading his face. “I used different EMFs, Mel meters, I checked for cold spots. It keeps beeping,” He said. “Nothing can explain it.”

“So, what does this mean?” Hakyung chimes in to sate her own curiosity.

“This meter is a great device to locate paranormal activity,” the retired hunter explains. “A spirit, which is what I’m hunting now, has mass, it means it is made up of atomic particles. So if you experience a high EMF spike, if you also capture an EVP, a visual anomaly on video or photo, a temperature or environmental change, or some sort of other paranormal phenomena, then it is very likely the EMF spike was generated by a spirit.” He lifts the device and shows her how it’s going crazy with spikes. “That’s why I’m saying this is impossible.”

She makes a small snort. “You know, it is an electromagnetic field meter, after all,” She says, “Any source of electronic leak can mess up the reading, faulty wirings in the wall, electrical outlet shortages. There are plenty of reasons.”

“This is a finely tuned device; it does not receive false positive readings.” He insists, and then shakes his head sadly when he realizes he’s arguing with a teenager who doesn’t have the first idea of the years of training he did. “This is beside the point. I already said I investigated twice using all the methods I’m familiar with; the bottom line is, something strange is happening here.”

“Alright, so we should start with the location they summoned the spirit at,” Sungjae says with a sigh. “You guys said you used the Ouija board at school?”

That’s when the two best friends start to notice the withdrawing eye movement and stance in the three teenagers.

Sungjae frowns at his friend, who shrugs at him, and then he actually looks at his pack, realizing, at last, the reason behind their behavior. 

“I see,” he starts, “So it didn’t happen at school, did it?”

Minki prompts up at that, smiley eyes hardening. “What?” He switches to look from Heung Su’s mate to the pack. “You guys lied to us?”

The teens don’t bring about any justifications this time, only the truth.

Yikyung frames his nape and sighs. “It was at Yecheon’s local cemetery.”

Minki throws his hands in the air in exasperation and looks away so he wouldn’t lash out at anyone. His best friend has already lost hope in those teens so he only taps at Minki’s shoulder.

“I think I know why your EMF is having an aneurysm.” He tells him in consolation.

His friend agrees, before jutting his chin out at the pack. “You guys really outdid yourselves in this one.”

No wonder the retired hunter’s meter was losing its mind; the students took a Ouija board to a graveyard, the gin mill of ghosts, and summoned a spirit. No wonder the town is so jam-packed with floating souls of dead people from a hundred years ago.

The resonation of quiet vibration brings their talk to a hold, Sungjae fishes for his phone, and pales at the ID flickering on the screen.

“It’s Heung Su.” He gives his pack a horror stricken look. “What should I tell him?”

Yikyung flaps his hands. “Don’t give us away!”

Hakyung’s cool character goes through a complete change in a split second. “If you tell him we’re here, I’ll personally kick your ass back to that horror house.”

Hyesun only shrugs because, although she’s come to learn to respect the Alpha, she hasn’t admitted to him being _her_ alpha, so it doesn’t matter either way.

Sungjae takes a large gulp to calm his breaths, and connects the call. “Hey,” he says, now slowly stepping to the side to have some privacy. “How’s it going?”

“We ended up in Mucheon, of all places.” The other’s voice is deep and stoic.

“What’re you guys even doing there?”

“Long story, I’ll tell you when I get back,” Heung Su said. “How’re things moving along on your end?”

Sungjae looks over his shoulder at the people mouthing to each other so the Alpha wouldn’t hear the ruckus, and he shakes his head despondently.

“Fine, I guess,” He says, “I’m downtown with Kate” –realizing quickly that that wasn’t the smartest thing to say, he quickly tacks on– “and it isn’t just us, I mean” –he gives himself an internal reproach for his stupidity– “the pack is still at school. So is Hyesun. Weird, why would they even be here?” Deciding he’s officially screwed them over, because it was too late to take it all back, he settles on ending this nightmare. “I’m not very good at lying, am I?”

Hakyung tosses her grumbling his way. “Well done, you idiot!”

“I _so_ told you not to rely on him!” Yikyung points his index at his pack mates. “Dude can’t even tell a decent lie.”

Heung Su’s chuckle is hypnotizing and it interrupts their complaints. “No, you aren’t,” he said. “Sungjae, you know Sir Integra isn’t going to be delighted with you acting all chummy with her slave.”

Sungjae’s eyes follow a passing car, before he says, “I know. It’s just for today. I promise.”

“It isn’t me you should be worried about,” Heung Su says, “I’m going to report this back to her, you know I have to. Tell the others not to expect any lenience.” He pauses for a beat before resuming what he’s been saying. “Sungjae, I can’t turn a blind eye on your behavior; your actions have been irresponsible and wild. Take the witch back to my house, and she better be there before we get there.”

Sungjae nods in silence, and realizing the man can’t see it, he clears his throat and vocalizes his agreement. “I will,” he says, “I’m sorry for always causing you troubles.”

“So long as you know your mistake and admit to it.”

“Heung Su,” Sungjae walks even farther, going after the scrapes of privacy that could protect his intimate moments with the Alpha from any prying beta ears. “You aren’t mad at me, are you? I’m just trying to give Kate a good time; you saw what happened last night.”

“I know,” Heung Su drawls. “But, Sungjae, it isn’t our problem. I told you there are things you shouldn’t mess around with. Taking Sir Integra’s slave without her permission might result in them going back on their offer to help. Do you realize that the longer this stays unsolved, the faster you get to dying?”

“But, honey, I’m alright. Kate is having a good time, too.”

“That isn’t for us to decide, and I’m not going to go into a debate with you about this.” Heung Su fumes, his tone becoming sterner. “Return her home, and tell the others off. I’m not going to repeat myself.”

Chewing hard on his bottom lip, Sungjae swivels around and scrutinizes the eyes looking at him. He looks for Kate’s but the girl is keeping her exuberant eyes on the buildings again. He feels a sense of responsibility he never had before.

“Alright,” he says, “I hope you get home safely. I’ll be waiting for you.”

“Okay,” the Alpha says, “See you in an hour.”

He turns his phone off; Heung Su said they were in the neighboring town, and last time Sungjae checked, it took an hour the other time to reach there by car, and so if they were heading out now, that means only one thing.

Sungjae’s lips quirk up from one corner into a smirk. “That gives us an hour to catch Casper.”

  



	24. Austria's Wraith - Part 5

It isn’t raining –hasn’t in a while, in fact, not since Sir Integra and her pack arrived, but Yocheon is definitely colder than London; it probably has something to do with its geographical location. However, that is hardly the reason why Kate sat up in her bed with alarm early this morning, not with the ASHP on full blast.

Since she’d rested on the jet well enough, sleep took longer to come to her, but, when it finally did, Kate napped with one foot in the world of the awake. The dream she was about to have included a restless feeling that urged her to stir up, look around the room that wasn’t hers with beady eyes, before finally realizing she wasn’t alone.

The moment she sat up, she saw Sir Integra sitting on the armchair which, Kate knows, wasn’t positioned at the edge of the bed, facing her.

“Integra…?” She blinked a few times to clear her sight, trying to make out the master’s expression and it was apparent how on edge Sir Integra had looked. Worried that something bad had happened, Kate demanded with urgency. “What’s wrong?”

Finally, dull-eyed Sir Integra, who was sitting with both elbows on the armrests and knees parted from each other, dressed in black garments, she faced her, a hand shifting to rub fingers against her lips, perhaps to hide how narrow the margins of her mouth were.

“I don’t understand them, I don’t wish to _fathom_ the motivation behind your actions; for all I know, you’re probably just bored,” in the silence of the dawn where no being was conscious to make its noise known, Sir Integra’s smoky voice became clear. “If you think I will dismiss them as palpable nonsense, however, then you’re wrong.”

Kate’s pupils trembled, taking in the fierce eyes looking back at her, unwavering.

“I –I don’t know–”

The Alpha cut her off with a growl. “Don’t. Don’t lie to me, or so help me God.”

“I’m not!”

“Kate, enough already. I’ve had enough.” The master ran a hand through her hair, further disheveling it. The unblinking stare from earlier withered, until it looked on the verge of tears. “It ends here.”

The Mage lowered her stare. At last, realizing that the consequences of her actions might have been counterproductive. Still, she didn’t feel like it needed to end, not until she felt she’d been compensated somehow.

“What about you,” she started, slowly looking up again. “Weren’t you the one who flinched away from my touch?”

“That was different.”

“It wasn’t!” Kate bellowed. “You say I was gone for six months, but the only thing I get from you after being reunited is more avoidance. I don’t like it one bit, but I’m not acting as though you were in the wrong.”

“I’m not avoiding you, Kate.” The master defended. “You’re the one who’s been avoiding me this whole time and I won’t just sit back and take it.”

That perhaps was the button the master shouldn’t have pushed. “Good.” Kate huffed. Then added “Because it isn’t going to stop, not until you realize how shitty your attitude is!”

“Kate” –the master shot up to her legs suddenly, causing the girl to clamper down– “For once, try to look past the end of your nose. This isn’t about me and you anymore; there are things that I cannot discuss yet.”

Swallowing her lump, Kate wondered. “What’s that supposed to mean?” and demanded “What’re you hiding from me?”

“If there’s a part of you that still looks up to me–” Sir Integra chose to ignore the subject matter and take it back to her earlier argument; that didn’t bother Kate, however. What upset her was the weary look in Integra’s eye, like the master was physically and emotionally bone-tired, standing on her legs by sheer will only. “You’ll stay away from the boy.”

“Integra…”

Said master lifted a hand to stop Kate. “I mean it. I don’t think I can restrain myself anymore if I smell him on you again, Kate, so for the safety of everyone, yours included, don’t get involved with him.”

Why was that an option now; how come hurting others became something the master would threaten people with? 

Just what in the world happened to her?

Kate remained silent, which urged the master to speak again.

“I need you to tell me that you understand that being here is your mission and that you’ll respect my orders.”

“I do.” The brunette nodded, but as the master decided to leave, Kate found that she couldn’t allow for her questions to be left unanswered. “But we can’t leave it at this, Integra. I can’t be the only one catering to your wishes. You need to do better than this.”

A prolonged pause prevailed, before the master said, “I will.”

“So,” Sungjae drawls after looking over his shoulder to check on the witch, and asks his best friend. “How do you two know each other?”

As they’re walking down the street with the location of the cemetery being their destination, Minki keeps his hands in his pockets and his eyes on the road ahead.

“A couple of years ago, I was working a case in London. Some vampire went rogue and fed on innocent people in the part of Korea where I was working, and we somehow ended up following it to the UK. My partner and I had to hunt it down and kill it, but, despite all the trails we followed, we just couldn’t seem to get even close to catching that thing.”

“Alright,” Sungjae lets him know that he’s still listening.

“This and that, and we finally came across a young female investigator who told us to leave,” Minki said. “She said that the case was theirs and that her people would take care of it. My partner was one bloody-headed bastard, kinda like you” –he peers up at the other at that, finding Sungjae scoffing on a slight shake of head– “Anyway, he told her he wasn’t going anywhere until he met her people. We’d already wasted a lot of money to get hold of that vamp, and my pal thought that that ought to get us a big compensation.”

Sungjae takes another glance over his shoulder, just to make sure the witch is alright because he has to take her back home later in one piece. He ignores how the pack is keeping their distance from her, but she seems too unaffected that he can’t help but think she’s accustomed to it. He looks back at Minki and ushers for him to continue.

“The investigator took us back to her HQ, turned out she worked for a very powerful organization that hunts and eradicates anything that goes bump in the night,” He said. “Weird thing is we found some monsters strolling inside the manor without a leash. There was a werewolf girl amongst them, even the female investigator turned out to be a vampire.”

“Is that even a thing?”

“You always ask that.” Minki sighs. “Apparently, that organization is the oldest and most powerful in England. Despite the fact they were a mass of hunters, they also had a pack of anomalies running the place.”

“That’s double standard.”

“They don’t care,” Minki says, “The organization works in secret, and is even recognized by the queen herself. We were only allowed in so we could get an earful and then send the message back to the hunters in Korean communities.”

“Did you meet the pack that runs that place?”

“I did” –Minki flashes him a cheeky grin– “and so did you.”

Sungjae comes to a halt and Yikyung behind almost bumps into him. Minki has walked off a short distance thinking Sungjae was still walking, but then he returns to his best friend when Sungjae doesn’t move.

“Explain!”

Minki blows out a very heavy sigh, before looking at Kate. “She’s part of that pack. Well” –he corrects himself quickly– “she _works_ for the Alpha of that pack.”

Several pairs of eyes behold Kate, who’s standing there with her eyes narrowing in suspicion. She knows they’re speaking of Hellsing HQ and its occupants; she understands their language now thanks to her magic which Sungjae’s helped revive. She also knows that there are a lot of misconceptions going around about the organization; she remembers catching a glimpse of Minki.

It was a while back; the master hadn’t paid it attention so none of them thought it important.

The world is so small.

Sungjae switches to look at Minki instead. “So, wait, I get that Sir Integra is an Alpha, but how is she running a place that hunts people like her?”

“It’s complicated.” Kate provides in the short man’s stead.

Sungjae whips around to face her. “I’m sure I have just the ability to understand if you care to explain.”

Kate walks up, passing by the gawking faces of Heung Su’s pack, and then past Sungjae who is quickly following her closely by.

“One of Sir Integra’s ancestors, who was completely human, established the organization after an encounter with an entity gone rogue. He hired and armed men. His group started to grow and he realized he needed to call for assistance. He passed on the family business down to his oldest, and the family business continued for decades until Sir Integra took over.”

“Why were there vampires, too?”

“There are currently three vampires in Sir Integra’s pack,” She replies, “One was a loyal servant to the household since the establishment of the HQ, and the other two were saved by the loyal servant, leading them to join.”

“I’ve never heard of any stereotype about werewolves and vampires,” Hyesun starts, “but I’ve never heard of them coexisting in the same pack either.”

“Oh, yes!” Kate says with a fond smile. “Instead of making more enemies, Sir Integra decided to change the course of events and make more alliances. Joining forces with vampires has given her even further authority.”

While the pack withdraws into the scenarios of the possibility of having a vampire joining their pack, Sungjae fights the unfriendly thoughts aimed at Kate’s Alpha.

Alright, so Sir Integra isn’t some power-hungry tyrant, and she is obviously more pragmatic and hard-working than Sungjae gave her credit for. That still doesn’t change a certain fact: Sungjae saw the master’s bulge, and that has inspired some face-flushing scenarios to roam his head. His insides boil at the thought of Kate being pinned and thrust into by that Alpha, and he can’t explain why.

“There it is!” Minki gushes, eyes on the front of the cemetery’s large gate.

“Sungjae.” Kate takes a quick glimpse of the man. “There are spirits around here that are still active, so under no circumstances are you to use your magic. You have to take into account their weak state of mind. If they sense a source of energy, they might react and that can be very troublesome.”

Blinking at her, Sungjae nods jerkily.

Grinning up at them, Kate makes a fist and punches the air. “Alright, let’s do this!”

The rest stays behind beholding the unexpected change of personality. That lady literally went from looking cynical and disliking every hand that attempted to pet her, to beaming up at the world with her new bright attitude.

Sungjae eyes each one of their gaping faces before shrugging. “Whatever,” he said. “Let’s go.”

The cemetery is vast and almost deserted. The green ground is strewn with headstones at both sides of the yard; there are rows of graves at the left side of the cemetery as well as in the right, leaving a clear trail in the middle that leads to the other side of the cemetery.

Minki takes out his EMF meter and it starts chirping and squeaking, making him share a knowing stare with Sungjae. They walk farther in, observing the names and dates and quotes etched into the stones, ‘singing with the angels’ makes Hyesun’s heart twist in sorry. The people in these graves must be lonely with no visitors dropping by to leave them flowers or just to say hi. And the only reason she and her friends are here is to hunt the spirit causing mayhem, not to honor their deaths, which is very sad.

“Alright.” Minki nods at the pack. “Show us where you used the board.”

Yikyung leaps over a few tombs towards the direction in his head where he remembers using the board with his friends, but nobody counted for him landing inside a recently dug up hole.

“Guys!”

Hearing his small yelp, the pack, escorted with the retired hunter and Kate, scurry towards the hole Yikyung fell into, finding the guy looking up with anxious eyes.

Sungjae’s lips part into a smirk as he squats down. “You’re giving the term landing in a dish a whole new meaning.”

“Get me out of here!” Yikyung bellows.

“Alright, alright!” Hakyung seethes. “Just leap out.”

Yikyung looks horrified for a second. “You guys don’t get it, do you?” He marvels. “If I get my clothes dirty, my mom is literally going to have me walk outside butt-naked!”

“Oh, lord!” Sungjae exclaims, feigning a look of shock. “We can’t have that. People could go blind.”

“Ha-ha,” Yikyung says in monotone, “Very funny.”

“Okay, just stay where you are.” Hakyung looks around for a rope to help him, and she doesn’t listen when Sungjae tells her they’d come back for him after he reflects a little. She spots a rusted round bear trap and a loose rope just at the corner of a large tombstone, and without thinking, she dashes to them and pulls the rope.

Sungjae is still taunting Yikyung and making him miserable, while Kate watches amazed how differently from her the alpha’s mate is bonding with the pack members. “Look around, do you see any demons down there?”

Yikyung growls. “You’re not helping!”

“Oh, helping you is the last thing I want to be doing right now.” Sungjae beams. “You can’t keep spouting your righteous nonsense at me and expect me to overlook you defying orders as well,” He says, “I’m going to relish every moment of this!”

“Take it easy on him, man.” Minki advises. “He’s still a kid.”

Hakyung’s shrieking yap brings their talk to a stop, and they gaze at the source, finding her running around and away from a golden retriever that keeps chasing her with its tongue lolling out.

Sungjae barks a chortle, and soon he doubles over and laughs. Minki and Hyesun beside him also chuckle at the sight, and it’s so contagious that Kate also ends up smiling.

“Help me!” They only hear the echo of her plea as she continues to run around like a chicken with its head cut-off.

“Hey, Hakyung?” Sungjae shouts through the cupped hands around his mouth. “Can you show us to the spot or are you busy playing hard to get?”

“You’re so enjoying this,” Hyesun comments.

Oh, she has no idea.

Hakyung keeps running around, with her yelled words staying indecipherable.

“Just give him a chance!” He shouts again. “He looks smitten by you.”

“Screw you!” Is the only thing they manage to hear from her.

“Not me!” He corrects on a barely stifled laugh. “The dog!”

He hums and shrugs when she doesn’t reply. “It seems she’ll be busy for a while,” he says, facing Hyesun. “Oh well, I guess that only leaves you.”

The girl gives him a pointed stare before facing away. “Fine, follow me.”

As Minki scans the area Hyesun has just taken them to, droplets of rain start to pummel down, fogging their surroundings which were already sinking in the darkness of a very cloudy afternoon. A wind whooshes, hemming in the trees with their sense of safety.

“So,” Sungjae starts, facing the witch. There’s just so much he needs to get off his chest by asking Kate, and, though he knows there’s no power in this world that can sate his curiosity than just asking out flatly, he knows he has to start small if he wants the girl to talk. “Whatever happened to that vamp Minki and his partner were hunting?”

The witch frowns and it takes Sungjae a moment to realize that she’s frowning to keep the rain from getting into her eyes. “Killed,” She said. “Seras, the investigator your friend met that time, managed to shoot him dead.”

“Seras?” Sungjae echoes. “Is she part of your pack?”

“She is,” Kate replies, shaking her head slowly. “I’m ––I’m not pack, Sungjae. I never was.” And there are tens of reasons why she thinks that.

At some point in her little confession, Sungjae manages to pinpoint the solemn belief of the young lady about her not belonging to a pack led by an Alpha who definitely shares the bed with her, and it hits him like a whiplash that not all things are what they seem to be.

“What makes you say that?” He wants to test her anyway.

Her frown deepens and that’s when he knows the pummeling rain has nothing to do with it. She can’t recount her life story and expect him to understand; everyone’s life is different.

“Alright,” Minki says, interrupting them. “Apparently, this grave belongs to a guy named Akira Muto.” Minki reads the information off his phone. “He shot himself in the head back in 1996 after the death of his wife and child. It was a run and hit and the culprit was never caught.”

“’explains the mayhem.” Hyesun chimes in.

“So violent death made him a poltergeist which–”

Minki cuts him off, rain water splashing from his mouth, “Which means we need to salt and burn his bones.”

“Can we even do that?” Sungjae wonders, wiping off the rain off his face. “We could go to jail for desecrating.”

Minki is already giving a sad shake of head. “I’ve been doing this for over a decade, Sungjae, trust me, grave desecration is the least of the police’s worries.”

Their talk fades behind this urgent sense of worry rising inside of Kate. She looks behind, praying there are no ghosts in sight, but she finds a sort of a halo, white and fading, hovering nearby. The boy who fell into the hole isn’t rising up again, and, with the rain pouring down like this, she worries he might be swimming with fish.

One quick peek to the side shows Kate glaring at something. Sungjae scowls and unfolds his arms from his chest. “What’s wrong?”

She flicks her stare at him, movement slow and calculated, before looking back at the same spot again. Ignoring his questioning squint of eyes, Kate marches forward, towards the direction of the hole Yikyung fell into. Her scurry turns into a jog, and soon she is sprinting towards it in a feverish haste with Sungjae dashing after her and hollering ‘just torch the bastard so we can get out of here!’ over his shoulder

Kate stops by the square hole and peers down into it. Sungjae finally comes to a halt beside her, taking in, with horror, how Yikyung is struggling to keep his face off the water that has reached his neck.

“Are you kidding me?” Sungjae exclaims, fear making his hands tremble. “It hasn’t even been raining that long!”

Kate reels to face him; she’s soaked through from head to toe, but she looks unaffected. “Bring the other girl here,” She said, now crouching down. “Keep away until I get him out, otherwise, the spirits will be disturbed and might hurt you.”

Sungjae has been trying to shut off the small part in him that still can’t trust the witch, and, so far, he’s been doing well with that; however, when it comes to leaving the pack’s safety to some stranger who hasn’t even spent that long to earn their trust, Sungjae finds himself unable to just follow her order and bolt out.

As though sensing his inner struggle, Kate flashes him a smile which Sungjae cannot interpret. Kate’s attention returns to the teen struggling to keep his mouth above water level. She taps the palm of her hand on the wet ground, and mumbles a spell, and then something happens that makes Yikyung’s body levitate from the water and into the air.

Yikyung feels his body being shifted midair a few inches above water, before finally being moved and planted gracefully to the ground beside the witch.

Witnessing that Yikyung is safe and sound again, Sungjae darts toward the direction Hakyung disappeared to, eyes looking closely around despite the shower of rain inspiring abundant steam to obscure their vision.

Kate ignores the unforgiving throb in her left flank and eyes the teen’s drenched body looking like a puppy that has just fled a shower scene, her lips part into a smile that shows her bunny teeth.

“What?” He huffs, and quickly coughs into the nook of his arm.

“You remind me of the donkey and the farmer fable,” she says, and scoffs “never thought I’d actually see the live-action version.”

He glares at her, but instead of deriding him, or looking smug about saving him, Kate is grinning from ear to ear but Yikyung can feel no animosity in it.

“You,” he starts, “You’re actually a lot like Sungjae.”

She cocks her head at him. “Whatever do you mean?”

Yikyung ruffles his own wet hair and lifts up, taking in his surroundings and the way Kate also lifts up. “Where’s everyone?”

“Sungjae went after the girl; Hakyung, I believe. And the hunter should be burning the bones of the dead man.”

“Cool.” Yikyung breathes out. “Let’s find them.”

As he heads to a different direction, Kate remains behind, just staring motionlessly at the haze of the strange white halo beside the grave, the same one that warned her about the boy.

Her lips then quirk up a smile, and, nodding, she says, “Thank you for your help.”

Sungjae’s been dreading the idea of being left alone, especially after his return from Austria. For the past couple of days, he’s always been escorted by someone, and usually that someone was Heung Su. The only time he was left to his own devices was when he first arrived and he had a fear seizure thanks to that; so he doesn’t dare to go anywhere by himself. Now, however, without realizing what was in the offing, he ventured out, alone, in a _graveyard_. Instead of just following Kate’s words like he was an officer, he should have studied his other options first.

Sungjae remains by the same spot, fearing to take any other steps whether forward or backward, because, just for the hell of it, the headless woman has decided to show up before him, more daunting than ever. He starts to feel the rattling of his bones, and the color draining from his face. He thinks of a spell or two that could mask his existence, but he is then reminded of Kate’s warning not to resort to any magic inside the cemetery.

As his hopes start to crumble, his ear catches the splotch of two sets of footsteps running towards him, and then Yikyung’s voice cracking the eerie silence that has managed to enwrap him.

Sungjae swivels around, finding Yikyung and Kate have caught up to him with the boy’s nose looking crinkled.

“Place smells rotten with fear,” he comments upon his arrival. “What happened?”

Sungjae looks from them and to the headless woman, who is slowly pulling back with careful steps, and he sighs. “Same old, same old.”

Kate gives him a rueful smile after spotting the headless woman retreating into her corner of darkness and doom. “You’re going to have to listen to her eventually if you want to live.”

He nods absent-mindedly. “Right,” he says, “we still have to find Hakyung.”

Yikyung juts his chin towards the gate. “She must have left,” he says, “I don’t hear her.”

Sungjae grins despite the intense ruminant of fear. “I guess they couldn’t wait to be alone.”

Kate beside him chuckles, and can’t help but add her own jibe. “Their date was kind of loud, don’t you think?”

Sungjae’s face lightens up, and Yikyung beside him groans because it’s obvious the man is happy he’s finally found someone to match his sarcastic imagination. “Never thought blonds were her type, but, then again, her boyfriend kinda looks like a Bichon Frise.”

Kate taps him on the forearm. “You look like a puppy yourself.”

The statement reminds him of Heung Su’s kicked puppy look he operates when he tries to have his way with Sungjae; the latter smiles affectionately at that, but then snaps his eyes at his watch. “Crap,” he says, “we only have less than fifteen minutes left.”

Hakyung then comes running in through the gate, looking disheveled. She grinds to a stop beside the derelict graves they’re standing next to, and flips her damp hair off her shoulders.

Sungjae checks the gate and then the girl, and wonders with a smirk, “Isn’t he coming?”

Kate beside him crosses her arms over her chest. “He probably did, dogs are fast, you know.” She can’t say the same about wolves, though. Sir Integra’s knot takes forever to unload.

As Sungjae barks a laugh, with Yikyung just hiding his giggle with his cough, Hakyung glares heatedly at them.

“Excuse you!” She barks. “I had to hold him off for over ten minutes!”

Sungjae’s thoriated laugh explodes, and he is placing a hand on his side and leaning sideways to try and stop the laughter. “You did well, Hakyung, you did well.”

As she rips into him, Minki comes flying their way from the other side of the cemetery, and lands at their feet. They peer down at him like he’s a tuna that’s been fished; Minki groans and tries to sit up from the painful fall.

“Guys,” he starts, “We have a problem.”

They charge forward with Minki and Yikyung leading the way, and they go up a little slope where Hyesun’s crouched form starts to appear. She is still attempting to dig through the rest of the way to the coffin but an invisible force yanks the shovel from her hand and tosses it aside, and then it tosses Hyesun after it as well.

“Hyesun!”

Minki and Sungjae dart toward the place where the girl landed after slamming against a lonely maple tree at the side.

“I’m alright,” she tells them while sitting up. “That guy is just not letting us finish the job.”

Hakyung has listened to them talk about how this spirit is one of the toughest they’ve faced in a while, and she can’t buy it. In a flash, she jumps into the half dug hole and uses her claws to flick out the dirt.

“Hakyung, be careful!” Sungjae comes rushing to the grave looking like he’s fighting against an even greater force not to resort to his magic.

The stuck-up girl’s use of her hands is hysterical after that, as though racing against time itself. Which they are, somehow.

Yikyung is waiting with everyone else in anticipation, but his focus is then disconcerted when Kate’s posture shifts; he slews around a little so he wouldn’t seem like he’s staring at her, and finds her looking somewhere over her shoulder, and she keeps glancing back at it with her anxiety growing more and more evident.

“Wait…” She says, shakily.

Hakyung doesn’t stop, especially now that she can see the panel. She fists her hand and punches through it with one strike, making wood fragments sprint everywhere.

“Wait!” Kate finally yells.

Ignoring her frantic plea, Hakyung motions to Minki and Hyesun to toss her the salt and the kerosene.

Unable to take it anymore, Kate scurries to Sungjae, seeming impatient at trying to hold off the ending of this hunt which everyone knows is coming.

“Please, make her stop!” She beseeches with flushed cheeks. “She can’t burn him yet.”

Sensing the danger in her voice, Sungjae whips his face to his pack member. “Hakyung, wait a minute.”

“Why?” The girl snaps. “Because that witch said so?”

“You’re making a terrible mistake.” Kate tells her. “Please…”

After a pause, where Hakyung’s hands don’t move, a sense of small relief sets on them but it is short-lived as the beta brings the small bottle of kerosene, and she starts pouring it on the bones of the dead Japanese man.

“As if I’m going to listen to some witch!” Hakyung mumbles, despite the grumbling coming from said witch.

Dismayed, the rest watches with awe how a disarrayed image of a pale-looking man regenerates itself beside the grave, and how he swipes his hand and causes Hakyung to fly midair and land against a headstone nearby.

Yikyung attempts to launch an attack on the man but Kate is soon standing in his way.

“Step back,” she orders with a sharp, final tone; she’s had enough of their heedlessness. “Do you always shoot first and ask questions later?” she huffs. “If any of you moves, I won’t hesitate to use my magic.”

Recoiling, Yikyung stands beside his pack and Minki, looking down at Kate with a rapt. “It was wrong of me to think you were good,” he says in clear accusation. “You’re just as vile as any other witch.”

Kate is part of the misconceptions going around the HQ, so these kinds of comments have stopped deterring her a long time ago. Her only regret is that Yikyung came so close to changing his mind about her, but, then again, there is no easy exit. The best thing she can do is not indulge the pack; it’s to do her job.

The dead man’s apparition starts to flicker in and out of focus, and, in a flash, he relocates himself to where Hyesun is standing, causing the girl to let out a sharp gasp of shock. He lets out deep, guttural groans with his hand pointing to the left where the horizon meets their beloved town.

As they preen into what he’s attempting to say, they miss Hakyung creeping up on the man’s coffin to pour salt on it. Minki pinpoints the click of the salt bottle being opened, and so he takes out his lighter, flicks it and throws it inside the hole, making the man’s body go aflame.

Sungjae’s face is shaded with the golden hues of the blaze but it soon vanishes. He watches how Kate, angry and desperate, stomps towards Minki and then grips the lapses of his coat.

“Do you have any idea what you just did?!” She bellows.

Clutching at her hand from the wrist, Minki yells back,.“Yeah, I saved your ass, everyone’s!”

“Hey, let go of him!” Hyesun barks, noting how Yikyung is letting out deep, vibrating snarls.

“That man wasn’t hurting us because he wanted to!” Kate says, making no efforts to shake her hand from the hunter’s clutch. “He had to.”

“What, you’re some sort of a ghost whisperer now?” Hakyung scoffs, coming up to them looking smug.

Glaring heatedly at them, Kate pulls away and runs trembling fingers through her hair.

Sungjae finally has enough, and he goes up to the girl and seizes her by the elbow. “You need to calm down.”

Upset that her attempts at help have gone to waste, Kate withdraws from them again and faces the fire still crackling inside the hole, lowers her head in a manner that shows her deep despair.

That man showed up a few times to warn them, and Kate could make out a few words but it made no sense. Usually, spirits warning you about danger is a big fucking deal; they see things the living can’t. Burning the bones before knowing what the danger is was a very stupid thing to do, and Kate is angry that there are no like-minded who share her resolve enough to help.

Looking away, Hyesun comments, “Whatever, let’s just leave, our job here is done.”

As they give Minki a minute to collect all of his stuff, the grave keeper approaches them from behind, spiteful promises of skinning them alive rolling off his lips. The pack rushes the hunter, and since he’s been through this before countless times, he shows perfect agility gathering everything and sprinting towards the barbed wire fence.

In his rush to flee as well, Sungjae’s foot lands in the wrong part of the muddy shoulder. He twists around to grab on anything but the fall happens and he lands on his stomach and slides down the embankment. He slides under the wire fence and crawls with the aid of his elbows. The wire catches on the back pocket of his pants, and as Sungjae maneuvers to finally glide his body out, the wire pulls the denim and tears it off, showing his underwear.

The pack, outside and safe, is doubled over, laughing their heads off.

“Nice passing the marine obstacle course.” Yikyung taps him on the shoulder.

Hakyung peeks at his backside. “Is that your new sense of fashion?”

Exasperated that he’s become the laughing stock, Sungjae huffs. “Which part am I supposed to laugh at, exactly?” He quickly realizes that Kate isn’t with them, and the light-hearted moment becomes horror-charged because it’s less than two minutes before the Alphas’ arrival and they’re still outside. “Where’s Kate?”

Hyesun shrugs. “She hasn’t come out yet.”

“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me!” Sungjae gasps, now pacing around with his hands on his butt.

In a semi-second, Kate appears in his track, cutting off his dark mutters.

“Where’ve you been?” Sungjae holds her by her narrow shoulder.

She lets out a small sigh. “I had to bury what was left of that man.”

Letting the input sink in, Sungjae slowly starts to nod. “Alright, but we have to go back now.”

She nods back, but noticing his stance, she tilts her head. “Are you growing out a tail?”

“What!” He snaps. “No.”

“He pooped in his pants.” Hakyung’s attempt at comedy sounds so unwitty.

“Did not!” He hollers, and returns his attention to Kate. “Can we just hurry up and zap everyone back home; I can’t be walking around like a jaybird.”

Palming her hand out, Kate waits for Sungjae to take it into his. The rest also holds hands and they form a circle. With Kate’s and Sungjae’s magic combined, they manage to teleport everyone safely to Heung Su’s villa.

Although tardy by a few, Sungjae and Kate have managed to get everyone back to the house, and, although they looked miserable and covered in dirt, they couldn’t deny the idea of how fun going out to the graveyard can be; not that they’re trying it ever again, but Sungjae is positive that today will be a day to remember.

What was that man trying to warn them about? It took his last bits of existence to convey the warning so it’d be disheartening if Kate doesn’t figure out what he tried to say.

 _Yurei_ , was one of the words, which Kate knows means _ghost,_ and the other one was _torappu sa reta_ , which, considering the first verb, it could mean he was talking about something that is _trapped_.

It’s no use trying to analyze this with the little info she has; Kate doesn’t even think today’s case was solved the way it should have.

Anyway, she doesn’t think it matters now; if there’s a threat approaching, it’ll show itself sooner or later and they’ll have to deal with it anyway. All she can do is get inside the bathroom and clean herself.

As he stands under the shower, replaying everything in the safety of this magic field he conjured up the moment the headless woman reappeared again, Sungjae starts to think back on what happened with Kate at the very last few minutes of their wild adventure; how she seemed despaired after the ghost went aflame. He also reminds himself of her threat to harm them, and that has sort of rearranged his impression on the witch, and has portrayed the reality he’s been trying, so desperately, to deny.

Sungjae is glad he and the pack had fun outside with the witch, but this is where he will draw the line because he can’t tolerate the kids getting harmed. He decides to stay more focused now that he knows the witch is affecting him in an unnatural way.

Outside, he finds the congregation of his pack have already showered and changed into cleaner clothes; but that’s not all he finds. Advancing closer, he picks up on the two new people having an argument with everyone in the room, excluding Minki who looks like the Thinker but with his clothes still on.

“What’s going on here?” He demands as soon as he’s in the scene.

Upon nearing them, Sungjae takes a better look at the green-eyed blond teen who’s wearing a striped sweater and dark jeans. He has a sharp jaw that could slice and dice, and broad shoulders like an athlete’s. There’s a girl standing beside him with her arms crossed over her full chest, she is taller, her hair is super curly, dark skin and eyes, a real beauty.

“Who are they?” Sungjae demands again.

As they continue the staring contest, Kate finally arrives at the scene; she’s changed to the same clothes she arrived in, same shoes, and her hair is wrapped in a ponytail. Several heads swivel to her direction and several pairs of eyes switch from her to the two unannounced guests who aren’t saying anything, until Kate appears.

“Zuri, Ian.” Kate mutters, her eyes widening as she approaches the scene as well. “What are you two doing here?”

“Ask him” –the black girl nods at the other teen standing beside her, and then looks back at Kate– “He can be pretty persuasive.”

Looking stern now, the witch faces the boy. “You were told to stay put, were you not?” She dares him. “You can’t just stroll up someone else’s territory unannounced. If this pack attacked, it’d totally be within their right, and Sir Integra and I wouldn’t even be able to defend you.”

The young man’s expression crinkles like he’s sucking on a lemon, perhaps imagining the picture, but remains quiet.

Kate, dismayed by the change in Ian’s attitude towards her, lets out a small sigh before facing Sungjae and his pack. “I’m sorry,” she says, feeling the need to pitch them in on what’s going on. “This is Zuri” –she gestures to the dark-skinned girl whose body is being stared at shamelessly by Yikyung– “And that is Ian.” Kate now points at the male teen. “They’re part of Sir Integra’s pack.”

Sungjae arches a brow in acknowledgment. “How did you get past the barrier?”

“Like I said, they’re Sir Integra’s pack,” Kate tells him, “and since you allowed her in, the rest of them won’t have a problem getting in also.” It has to do with the order of his magic; it reverberates, affecting other beings than himself, which goes to prove Kate’s previous theory about the strength of this Mage.

“Hold on.” Zuri sidles up with her chest puffed out. “How come you understood what he just said?”

Kate shifts her eyes to Sungjae and his pack for a while, but doesn’t put forward any explanations. For some reason, that causes the man to feel the earlier possessiveness taking over again, urging him to do the unthinkable, and he finds himself wrapping his arm around Kate’s neck to shield her from everyone’s scrutinizing, or that’s what he tells himself.

Zuri and Ian then snap hard glares at each other, something about the gesture getting under their skin.

Hakyung matches the black teen’s stance, and says, “She used a spell to help us communicate with her.”

“Where’s Sir Integra anyway?” The teen male sounds like that jockey in high school who has the girl, the fame and is the captain of the swim team –the type you want to punch but admire at the same time.

“I wasn’t informed of her destination.” Kate reports. “However, the alpha of this pack called in and said they were heading back.”

Ian eyes the said pack. “Only two wolves,” he points out, looking from Hakyung to Yikyung in challenge before facing the other three. “What’re you supposed to be?”

“I’m a retired hunter.” Minki drawls.

Hyesun adds “Used-to-be Gumiho.”

Sungjae shrugs. “I’m a magical fairy, nice to meet you.”

Narrowing his eyes at them, Ian remains silent until Zuri brings the attention to them instead.

“Ian’s a vamp, and I’m a were.”

Most of Sungjae’s pack perk up at the mention of the term ‘vampire’, and since they’re not used to seeing those in this area of the country, it becomes quite the interesting topic which will have to wait for now because, obviously, they pick up on the new voices at the front door.

“It seems the two Alphas are finally back,” Minki comments –not that the supernatural entities around him needed him to point anything out, but the two mates are different.

Sungjae said it before, and he’ll say it again, he and Heung Su have been joined at the hip these past few days and it never felt like it’s become too much; more contrary to that, he started to feel the yearning growing starved the longer Heung Su stayed away. That is why, the moment Heung Su marches into the living-room in all his glory, Sungjae is already all over him, lips on lips and hands gripping at smooth dark strands of hair and moans breathed into the alpha’s mouth.

Hakyung, then, followed by Yikyung and Hyesun, walk up to them to greet their alpha, and soon so does Minki.

Sir Integra walks in as well, sporting a dark gray trench coat over her blazer, and surrounded by the abundant smoke ousted from her lips and the bourgeois cigar she’s smoking. Her butler is following closely behind. She comes to a stop upon seeing the teen guests in the room looking back at her with absolute delight.

“Sir Integra!” Ian moos on a full smile showing bright teeth, now striding up to the said Alpha.

Zuri’s dull-eyed look slowly morphs into raw rapture, and she also surges towards her Alpha, her breasts bouncing as she does that stomp-like walk.

“What brought you two here?” Sir Integra asks, ruffling Ian’s golden hair with her gloved hand.

Heung Su, keeping an arm around the small of his mate’s back, asks, “Your pack?”

Sir Integra nods without looking up. “That has been ordered not to leave the manor.”

“Sounds a lot like a bunch of troublemakers I deal with every day.” Heung Su sighs, eying each one of his pack.

Sungjae rushes to ease Heung Su’s mind, placing a hand on the man’s neck and pecking at his cheek; he is just happy Heung Su is back. “Come on, don’t be a spoilsport,” he said. “We all had fun and nobody was hurt.”

“That’s beside the point.” His mate tells him. “You defied orders, and while that’s awfully usual for you, you dragged the witch into it.”

As he mentions the moniker, several eyes search around for the person who seems like she’s blended in with the furniture to leave no trace of her behind, and they find that she’s retreated to the back, or, rather looks like she is more so because everyone has decided to step forward, leaving her behind.

Kate never imagined her master to open up to the pack; it used to be brisk orders only. They actually had it worse than her, so this is quite the sight. What’s more, Ian is finally acting like his age, seeking his master’s acknowledgment, and Zuri her compliments.

Sungjae’s eyes meet hers, and he finds her smiling with all her teeth showing, and a part of him dreads that. He knows for certain that she can’t harm anyone when Sir Integra is here to take matters into hand if the witch ever decides to become a problem, but, because he’s been enchanted, he can’t tolerate that part that believes she poses a threat to everyone in this room.

“Welcome back, sir,” Kate says in a sort of a gush. Suddenly, her heart beats so fast after a reminder of this morning, and all she wants is to talk more to her master.

“Sir,” Ian turns a hardened look on his Alpha. “She wasn’t here when we arrived, and she seems intimate with that alpha’s mate, Sir.”

While Kate doesn’t understand his need to bring that up to their Alpha, Minki and Sungjae share a knowing look; despite spending years apart, their thoughts and speculation somehow still instinctively rhythm together, so they know the boy has just done that to both, one) because it must have been drilled into him to always report to Sir Integra if he finds that the witch has done something the Alpha doesn’t agree with, and two) he did that to get the witch into trouble for yelling at him earlier.

Sir Integra, as though prompted by those hidden meanings in the teen’s statement, treads past her pack and towards the witch, whose stance gradually becomes tenser, and she stops only when she is a few inches away and looking down at the witch.

The witch peers up, her smile dropping. “They needed my help, so I offered.”

“Oh, I’ve heard.” Sir Integra drawls. “Didn’t I give you your orders this very morning?”

The witch’s eyes widen to comical proportions, and she looks momentarily from Sungjae and back to her Alpha. “I had to. I had no other choice.”

“This urge to go against me –I don’t think it’s about rebellion anymore, Kate.”

Looking elsewhere, the witch bows her head. “I’m sorry.”

“I didn’t ask you to apologize.” Sir Integra takes another whiff of her cigar.

Unable to take it anymore, Sungjae wrenches himself from Heung Su’s hold despite the silent warning to leave them alone because they don’t understand what’s going on better than the people involved, and charges forward, standing beside Kate.

“She isn’t lying,” he tells the scary Alpha, now holding the witch’s hand in his for solace. “I needed her help to teleport us to both locations.”

Since Sungjae is speaking the truth, Kate knows there isn’t anything to fear; she should have heeded the warning, but this pack needed her. In her defense, helping this pack will help their friendship flourish, and it is also beneficial to establishing future alliances.

As the silence breeds into the core of the moment, Sungjae and Kate only exchange nervous glances before Sir Integra, with the cigar between her fingers, jabs its end at Sungjae’s face, almost burning his fringes with the embers.

“Hands off.” She orders in a deep rumble.

Infuriated, Sungjae stares at his hand that is holding Kate’s and then looks up to seeth. “She’s not a thing!”

Kate did not expect things to escalate like this; if her master goes about threatening the safety of Heung su’s mate, then all their efforts to commingle will be for nothing. Besides, didn’t Sir Integra warn against this specifically so she wouldn’t end up hurting anyone, it’s in equal parts admirable and scary how she can keep her promises.

She’s had enough after noticing both packs stirring up to their commotion, so she gets in-between. “Stop it, you two!”

“I didn’t wait six months only for some annoying prat to get his grabby hands all over her.” Sir Integra insists, and adds as a bellow “Hands off!”

Both Kate and Sungjae take longer to try and understand the meaning behind it, with Kate feeling the hand on hers sweating more profusely now, but the other alpha in the room is already getting uneasy as he meddles in at last.

“Sungjae, knock it off.” Heung Su warns.

He’s known Sungjae for months, but it isn’t difficult to pick up on the guy’s impulsiveness in first meetings, like, really, Heung Su honestly never saw this coming? It’s true that the witch murdered innocent people, according to everyone’s statement that is, and it’s true she has Sungjae enchanted, but he believes it’s a human thing to stand up for someone else if they’re being humiliated in front of people for what and who they are.

“No.” Sungjae barks, now facing the foreign Alpha, and he speaks his mind despite the shudder the latter’s cold stare sends him. “Kate is my friend, and you can’t speak of her like she’s a property!”

Instead of blasting him in the face like Sungjae expected her to, Sir Integra cocks her head and looks entirely amused. “An interesting little thing you are, aren’t you?” she says, and reels just a little so that her icy gray eye is seen by Heung Su, “Would you care to tell him what comes of people who meddle with my business, or do you want a demonstration of that?”

“For the love of–” Heung Su finally blows out a heavy sigh and walks up to Sungjae, gripping at his arm from the elbow and trying to pull him away.

“Hey!” Sungjae squirms and protests. “Let go of me!”

Kate watches everything with a frown.

Sir Integra’s hand then goes up to Kate’s chin, framing it and tilting her head up. “You must be elated,” she said. “Was this your plan all along?”

“That- that’s not –” Even if she tries to alter things, it’s not like it’d look different. She was given orders, and she went against them, simple as that. Kate now feels horrible, and hating that she did what she did.

Sir Integra leans in again, and, just like before, Kate thinks she is about to get kissed but the master only ducks towards Kate’s ear. “You just have to test me, don’t you?” She snarls, and ignores the way Kate’s gone stiff. “You enjoy riling me up, making me mad with anger.” Sir Integra chucks the other’s chin, causing the witch to whip her head to the side. “See me outside for a minute.”

Kate gets her bearing intact and bows her head; it’s alright like this. Talking here isn’t going to feel comfortable for either of them, and, God, there is so much Kate would like to say, starting with a big, fat apology. She skids past her master, past the two packs and then finally disappearing behind the arched wall.

Sungjae feels every fiber in him pulsating, enticing him to go after the two before they actually leave, and bring Kate to his side. He doesn’t even know if these are his own feelings anymore, he just knows he can’t let the Alpha have her.

“What’re you planning, huh?”

Heung su didn’t expect his mate to challenge the English Alpha, and he fears now is too late to convince them to help. He cups Sungjae’s mouth and ignores how the boy rumbles between his arms.

Sir Integra’s eye loses any glint that might have been in it, and she stands there, staring back at Sungjae. “Let your partner know that if he pulls something like that again, I will withdraw my offer to help.”

“I believe there is no need for that, Sir Hellsing,” Heung su assures. “I’ll personally explain things for him.”

“Good.”

And just like, she goes after Kate…


End file.
